Apocalyptica
by Magic at my Fingertips
Summary: An unwanted destiny, a magical ancient book that reveals her past and a prophecy that predicts her future. Will she succumb to the hands of fate or forge her own path in life with the help of an unlikely person?  First fan Fic. Please Read and Review
1. Prologue

Standard Disclaimer: I solemnly pledge to use the creations of Rumiko Takahashi to all whims of my vast imagination.

**'Money is the sixth sense that makes it possible to enjoy the other five' ~Anonymous~**

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Ethereal Voices/ Beasts/Spirits**

Apocalyptica:

Prologue:

On the brink of adult hood, she stood at the top of the stairs. Her trembling fingers ghosted over the satin overlay of her dress, running up her blood red corset and coming to rest on the Venetian style mask delicately placed over her feminine features, her fingers trembled over the sequins and glitter, fluttering over the mask to make sure all was in place as her heart took on heavy tempo, matching the heavy bass tempo of the music beating behind the closed doors at the end of the stairs. Her eyes closed in a physical manifestation of the breath she took to fill her tight lungs with much needed air. This was her night. On the eve of her 21 years of life, she stood, trembling in fear at the huge monstrosity of a party her parents had organised and insisted she have as a welcoming rite of passage to celebrate her transition, in a class all of its own. The masquerade was her idea, somehow the thought of covering some of her face upon her lavish entrance appealed to the small girl as she was not one for major displays of public attention, particularly when it was she that was in the lime light, a sad repercussion of being part of one of the wealthier families on the eastern border of Tokyo.

Blood pounded in her ears, making the delicate pearls dangling from the platinum earrings dance ever so slightly to the beat of her erratic heart. Wringing her trembling hands, mindful of the old ring on her finger that she had ever since she can remember, she rubbed the small plastic glow in the dark pinkie ring that sat out of place on her left hand, out of habit. The glow in the dark ring, the first gift from her very best friend years ago when they had met at one of their families lavish Christmas parties. The young girl had been in tears upon the discovery that the cracker that she had shared with the boy had no surprise gift inside, so as to quell the oncoming tears her big red eyes promised; the young boy had produced the plastic glow in the dark ring as a token for her unshed tears, and her bravery. They had been best friends since. A small smile flittered across her red lips at the thought that he would be amongst the many, many guests she was sure to face when the doors opened.

With the comforting thought of her best friend amongst the oncoming chaos in mind, she placed one foot in front of the other carefully placed steps as to nit step on her long dress and elaborated train, she proceeded down the marble stair case her delicate feet encased in one of the highest pairs of stiletto pumps she owned clicking softly on the marble as she went, with a slight nod to the butler to her left, the sound of her footfalls were lost to the deafening noise of the blaring music as the heavy oak doors creaked open...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

End

AN/ Hi, this is my very first fanfic so please be nice... reviews are very welcome, any feedback would be great. As I am new to the whole fanfiction universe I am in the process of finding out what the limits of my imagination are, as we are only bound by the limitations we set ourselves. I look forward to completing this journey with you...

Magic


	2. Chapter 1: Grand Entrance

'**At night, you have never seen so many stars; they're like little holes in the floor of heaven'** ~ _Bucket List _

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits**

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 1:

Grand Entrance

"Sesshoumaru Tashio,

Business tycoon,

Entrepreneur,

Head of his own company,

Heir to the Tashio fortune,

Bachelor of the year..."

"Playboy"

"Eri!" the small brunette batted her friend with the latest copy of _Girl Talk_ magazine she had in her hands.

"What? Its true, he is, you and I both know it..."

Both girls leaned in to swoon over the suggestive photo on the left side of the glossy page next to the article of the latest escapade the media had on the first Tashio son, each reviling in their own fantasies of the algid bachelor.

Yuki was the first to break the silence,

"You think he will be at the Masquerade to night?"

"Possibly, it is her 21st and the entire upper half of the eastern border of Tokyo is going to be there, if her mother has anything to do with it."

"Yeah... and the Higurashi's have been friends with the Tashio's for ages...I bet Inuyasha is going to be there too..."

"Duh, he is her best friend..."

"Girls, the limo is here!" Eris mothers voice filtered up the stairs, alerting the girls.

"Crap, be down in a sec Mom!"

At the sound of the mother's voice, both girls sprang into action, checking over their dresses, applying one last layer of lip gloss over their already moist lips and headed for the door, masks in hand and clutches secure under their glittering arms.

Climbing into the limo, they were greeted with the rest of the entourage.

"Hi girls... you ready for this shindig?" The wolf daemon greeted them with a lob sided grin as he undressed each girl with is hungry gaze.

"Hello yourself Kouga" Eri shyly answered with a blush dusting her cheeks at the forwardness of the promiscuous wolf.

"sheesh and I thought Sesshoumaru was a playboy... Down boy"

Yuki made a swatting motion with her rhinestone clutch at the eager male as the door to the limo closed.

"Hey where's Hojou?" Eri questioned, eager to ease the sexual tension already building in the car.

"We're going to go pick him up now, Sango and Miroku are at meeting us there" Bankotsu, a demi-god answered from the back seat.

"Hi Bank" they greeted in unison.

"Sweeeeet deal, lets get this show on the road then!" came the flippant reply from his partner Jakotsu next to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The night was off to a glamorous start, the Masquerade Affair was held at the Tashio's estate a couple of hours outside of Tokyo, its elaborate decor and old Spanish feel to the architecture made it the perfect setting for the Venetian style party. The long drive to the Mansion was lined with fairy lights that flickered to look like tiny candles that lit the driveway. The gravel crunched under the heavy weight of the limo as it pulled to a stop outside the house. A footman dressed in traditional clothes of the Venetian times opened the door to the black vehicle with practised ease and bowed ever so slightly to the guests as they emerged dressed to the nines with elaborate costumes, big puffy dresses and intricately designed masks that concealed their identities. One by one, they filtered down the red carpet, lined with rose petals and in small intervals Tiki torches were lit giving off a kerosene smell that lit the pathway, and added to the ambiance of the evening. The path lead around the side of the house and emerged next to a maze that was cordoned off with a bar, as each guest was presented with their fist glass of Champaign, with a lotus flower floating at the bottom of the glass, a myth that was supposedly used to add to the flavour of the beverage, giving it a sweeter edge. The path opened up onto a decorated patio area, with small round tables seating about 5 at each, around the outer edges of a dance floor that was paved with an elaborate mosaic of teal tiles. Small candles and rose petals floated across the surface of the huge swimming pool that was to the right of the dance floor, the glow of the red lanterns that hung above the stage and in the centre of each table basked the whole scene in a sublet pink and gold, creating an intimate atmosphere that belonged in a story or film. A gentle beat came from the stage as the band played a soothing rhythm that added to the feel and transported the guests to another time and place.

Hana Higurashi sighed for what must have been the hundredth time that night.

"What is keeping them Kei?" She questioned her husband under her breath as she shook one of the last guests hand in welcome.

"Relax dear, everything is perfect...they will be here." He placed a comforting hand on his wife's' shoulder, and steered her towards the bar.

Placing a flute glass into her hands he let his fingers linger in the touching of his wife's hand, a gesture of the bond they shared, intimate and true in its nature.

"You look beautiful tonight..." His voice caressed her soul just like the day she had fallen in love with the Higurashi business man. A small blush tinted the rosy cheeks of the older women as a small intimate smile ghosted across her lips, a smile meant only for him, and he knew it.

"Kei, you think he will ask her tonight?"

"I don't know my love, if he does-"

"Aah there here, come lets go greet them" Hana cut her husband off as one of the honoured guests made his way towards the couple, his platinum silver hair giving away his identity, despite the mask that adorned his chiselled face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Come now dearest you look simply decadent." The Lord of the western lands coaxed his wife as he extended a white silken gloved hand out to her to help her out the limo.

Carefully, Izayoi placed her feet onto the carpeted path, mindful of the many layers to her silken ensemble. Her ink back hair swept up in an elaborated design of knots and twists, as it spilled over her shoulder, leaving the other one bear, exposing the mating mark of the Dog General. A shrill of pleasure tickled down the Dog General's spine, seeing the mark at the juncture of her collarbone and neck. Pulling her closer to his large masculine frame, his clawed fingers gently padded over the mark, and ran up the column of her neck, coming to rest on the side of her face. Adjusting her mask, he whispered in her ear.

"I could ravish you now my beautiful wife"

The husky tone of his voice set a spark of anticipation through her tiny frame, and the slightest sent of her arousal reached their son's nose.

"Awe, for fuck sakes Dad, keep it in your pants... come on you two, please save it for later... were already late as it is..."

Inuyasha made a face as he bypassed his parents in getting out the limo and made a bee line for the glittered carpeted path.

A glimmer of amusement played in the older demons eyes as he led his wife down the glittering path, after their son.

"Yes, much later..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kei, my friend, I love what you have done with the place, it looks magnificent." Toga Tashio greeted the Higurashi businessman with a firm handshake.

"Aaah Toga, many thanks for allowing us to use your estate, but all the credit belongs to my wife" he gestured towards the small women next to him.

"Hana, looking lovely as always, you have done a magnificent job", Toga stated as he brought her hand up in a gentlemanly gesture of greeting and kissed her knuckles.

"Indeed it is beautiful Hana, something out of a fairytale, you have brought to life every girls dream" Izayoi greeted Hana in a simple hug as she complimented her on her decorating abilities.

"Thank you both, where are the boys tonight? I hope they are both coming..."

"Yes, Inuyasha made a dash for the bar as soon as we got out the limo." Izayoi answered her question, gesturing towards the bar with her Venetian fan.

"Sesshoumaru should be arriving shortly; he had a business deal he had to finish at work, so he took his own transportation here." The Dog General answered.

"Aaah I see, glad they could both come." Kei stated, with a gesture towards the stage in invitation.

"How is she, ready for her grand appearance?"

"Yes, Sango and Ayame are helping her with the final touches to her outfit as we speak. It's almost time for her entrance, as most of the guests are here, let's go joint the boys then..."

A nervous glance was shared between both mothers as they made their way over to the stage where Inuyasha and his group of friends were waiting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Both girls made their way through the crowd that had gathered in the patio area now towards the group of friends.

"Sango, can I have my arm back before you yank it out of the socket?" Ayame questioned as she tried to catch up to the eager brunette in her tight cat suit styled costume, her stiletto boots making the process all the more difficult.

"Sorry Aya, I just wanna get a good view as she comes down the stairs... she looked great hey?"

"Yeup, we did a good job."

Both girls filtered their way towards the boys.

"Aaaah there you are my beloved Sango, you look simply ravishing in your red corset, where you going for the dominatrix vampire look?" Miroku, Sango's on- off again boyfriend greeted the girls as they joined the group.

Balling her hands into a fist, a deadly gleam was seen under her mask as she glared at her now off again man. "Watch it Monk or you'll be flying solo tonight and for the rest of your life when I'm through with you..."

The familiar banter took over the group as they became engrossed with the latest gossip, updating each other on their lives.

As if initiated by the group of closely knit friends, the entire patio area was lulled into the gentle banter of conversation as people mingled. The sounds of light laughter was heard, the clinking of glasses as merriment filled the night as the guests settled into the evening, embraced by the elaborated decor of the party, and the heavy beat coming from the band on the stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

Eri, Yuki and the rest made their way over to the group.

"Hey guys, sorry we were late! The limo guy had to drive around for like an hour to find Hojou's house, and when we got there he was just climbing out the shower, I swear that man faffs more than a celebrity getting ready for the Oscars." Yuki greeted the group with her rushed explanation.

Laughter erupted all around as Hojou joined the group with a flushed face, trying to pry a newly hooked Jakotstu off his arm.

"Haha, seems old sissy pants here has found himself a new toy boy hey Hojou?" Inuyasha questioned between sips of his drink.

"Don't worry Inubaby, your still number 2 in my book, Bank is obviously number 1." The outrageous queen jakotsu, winked at Inuyasha from his perch on Hojous's arm, before looking longingly at his partner Bankotsu.

"Hehe Dogturd, still attracting the wierdos then." Kouga greeted Inuaysha with a hefty slap on the back, sending the drink he had clutched in his hand spilling nicely down the front of his Armani tux.

"Awe Wolf piss, Now look what you've done, you stupid mangy-"

"Calm down man, daddy will buy you a new one, sheesh." A menacing gleam entered the Hanyou's eye as he proceeded to dump the rest of his drink over Kouga's head.

"Aye what the fuck was that for asswipe?" he asked, wiping the Champaign out his eyes.

"Because you spilt the drink on me first numbnuts" Inuyasha answered with a satisfied grin.

"Now you're gonna get it, puppy boy, I'm gonna whip you ass so good, your dad will have to pay for reconstructive surgery" Kouga threatened, balling his fits and stepping closer to the Hanyou.

"Bring it, flea farm, I'll take you on any-"

"Announcing Ms Kagome Tomiko Higurashi..."

There was a sudden silence that washed over the guests, as they all turned in anticipation towards the opening set of large oak doors that lead to the inside of the manor.

Inuyasha paused mid threat and turned like the rest of the guests towards the door, eager to see his best friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She took a moment to still her thrumming heart. Breathing in and out like she had been told so many times over by two of her very best girlfriends, all their pep talking and swooning over her didn't do much in the way of calming her already frazzled nerves. The expectation her parents had created with all this riff raff about being properly announced into adulthood was absolute bull in her mind. Seriously? How the hell was she suppose to be cool about this, she was about to make the biggest entrance of her social life in her adulthood debut? A moment that shall define her in the public eye for the rest of her life, but no, she was cool calm and completely over all the crap that had gone into this. Not being allowed to know anything about the decor, the guest list, all of it, it was all hidden from her under the guise of being a 'surprise' well whoop de doo, the shock has yet to hit her system.

'_I don't feel any different, I don't look any different? So why all the fuss? It's not like-poof- my fairy godmother is going to magically appear and bibbity bobbity boo- yay im an adult!'_

She took a moment to gaze over all the faffing and fussing her two friends spent the better half of the afternoon glamouring her up on.

Ringing her hands nervously, she looked herself over in the full length mirror in the guest room she was using to get dressed in. By now her fiends should have gone down and gotten read for her big entrance.

Her eyes scanned the prone form that reflected back at her. Her inky blue-black hair done up in a series of twists and plats, leaving the bottom half to spill over her shoulder in a series of perfectly set ringlet curls. Her face, a grimace of anxiety well hidden under the flawless blush and eye shadow, creating a dusky maiden look, with just the right amount of blush dusting her defined cheek bones to give her that elusive 'glow'. Her dress, a series of overlapping silks and velvet, a mixture of a circus trapeze get up combined with the medieval Venetian style dress, the blood red corset outlining her hips in a mapped out form of a women's body. Her pert breasts pushed up to the point where it was provocative, without being to scandalous, both dusted with a shimmering powder to make the valley between them all the more alluring. Below the tightly strung corset, her skirt flared around her hips, with deep red ruffles set perfectly symmetrical along the curve of her backside, enhancing the derrière and flaring around the knees, to finish off the hour glass figure, with a suggestive slit running up the left side of her thy, pinned in place with an elaborate broach, she wasn't too sure was real diamonds or rhinestones herself. The train of the dress flowing behind her like a river of molten lava, shimmering in the dim light of the room. She had to agree, she looked amazing, for someone who's idea of looking good was putting on a decent pair of jeans, dressing it up with a simple blouse and a good set of pumps, she looked like a goddess that has just stepped out of some elaborate fairly tale.

'_Damn Sango, you were right about the shoes girl, the black leather pumps fit perfectly with the circus style corset... hmmm'_

"Miss Kagome, it's almost time..."

One of the maids interrupted her perusal of herself, turning, she answered.

"Thank you, I'll be down in a minuet"

Schooling her distraught features into a practised calm and serenity, she secured the sequined, glitter mask at the back of her head, making sure most of her angelic face as hidden beneath the black and gold porcelain mask.

'Well Kagome Higusrashi, let's get this circus over and done with'

With one last glance at herself in the mirror, she made her way to the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He sighed inwardly at the catatonic state of his retainer that occupied the opposite leather seat in the limo they were now both in. The laptop that had been previously in the kappas tiny green webbed hands was now sprawled across the leather seat next to the imp. His bulbous eyes closed, head resting on the leather headrest giving the Taiyoukai a unfitting view of the nasal hairs, as drool dangled from his snoring beak-like mouth. The Taiyoukai pondered on why he still kept the little kappa around, apart from his unwavering loyalty and efficiency in executing a task, something that he has had to perfect over the centuries, the little kappa was a definite nuisance, and nothing if not damn ugly, yet highly entertaining as he was once again about to prove to the Lord.

With a slight nod to the driver over the divider in the limo, he focused his amber gaze on the small kappa, steeling his poker face into masked anger.

The limo glided to a halt over the gravel at the entrance to the Tashio estate, a slight jolt was felt by the two passengers as they passed the dip in the driveway leading up to the Mansion. The slight jolt was enough to wake the slumbering retainer. In a display of dramatic momentary amnesia, the little kappa jerked upright, snorting as he did so, his bulbous yellow eyes blinking several times before coming to focus on the now very amused and highly pissed off Lord glaring at him from the opposite seat. As if on instantaneous reaction, all the little kappas memories came flooding back to him. The fact that he was accompanying his Lord and Master to the party, in order to do some last minute polishing details on closing a very big business deal with the Lord in the car on the way over, and the lack of laptop in his webbed hands and the glare of death that was being given by his master made this obvious turn of events nothing pleasant in the little kappas mind. He fell asleep.

"Aaah forgive this lowly servant my Lord, it was not my intention to soil your presence with my sleeping form, please My Lord have mercy on the inability this lowly servant has in not completing the task-"

"Jaken"

Talking a moment to register that his Master had addressed him in the cool, icy tone that promised death, he gazed up at the Taiyoukai, anticipating his impending death.

"Yes Milord?"

"Remove yourself. "

It took a few seconds for the toad to realise that he was now on his hands and knees between seats on the carpeted floor of the limo, hugging the well tailored leg of his employer, grovelling once again at his feet, a habit he has not been able to get out of since he began his servitude to the Lord Sesshoumaru.

Suddenly in a flurry of action, the door to the limo was opened, and the little toad was sent careering into the distant fountain occupying the middle of the driveway, knocking over a few Tiki torches during his flight. He had not managed to remove himself from his Master's leg as commanded in time and thus suffered the consequences.

Not even sparing the little toad a glance, Sesshoumaru buttoned his Armani tux as he glided his way down the red glittering carpet, taking in the transformation of his summer home as he did so.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

He made it past the bar, intact, flute glass in hand, and no unsuspecting fan girls or mothers seeking to pawn their offspring onto him in sight. He made his way towards the edge of the crowd, noticing that nobody apart from the butler and the shy girl that served him his drink blushing while doing it, noticed his entrance. How peculiar, normally he was one to make quite the entrance, and he was 'fashionably late' as his secretary deemed to call he's tardiness in the attendance of such a frivolous affair. The guests where all focused now on the double oak doors that lead to the patio area, all glittering in the shimmering glow of the fairy lights that wound around the marble stairs. The Oak doors creaked open and revealed to all the reason for the part as she descended the stairs.

For once, glad of his towering from, he make out Kagome's petite frame as she glided down the stairs in a show of unnatural grace and poise, two words the Western Heir would not normally associate with her in the same sentence. Her masked features downcast as she placed one step in front of the other delicately as if performing a practised dance. He watched, mesmerised, like all the other guests, fascinated by the creature that descended before him, her blood red dress glimmered in the twinkle of the fairy lights, and it cast a ethereal glow on her skin, making it shimmer and allowing the intricate illusion of a goddess stepping down from heaven to sweep over the crowd.

She paused for a second on the second last step and stole a glance at the crowd; her eyes swept the area of people, and for a few seconds lingered on his form. He was sure he heard a gasp escape her lips in the impregnated silence that surrounded the guests. The beginnings of a smirk twitched the corners of his mouth as his eyes took on a deeper sheen of gold in reaction to her recognition of him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The heavy oak doors groaned with the pressure of them opening, she heard her name being called as she passed the half way point in the stair case. Each fluid motion of her step echoing in her mind as she counted down the each step she took to her impending doom as she now called it.

'25, 24, 23- a few more to go girl more to go, you can do this girl...'

A hush had fallen over the hordes of people that now faced her, even the music had stopped, and it was as if the immediate world had come to a standstill in those few seconds it took her to reach the bottom. She focused on the placing of her stiletto feet, rather than looking up at the crowd that awaited her decent. It seemed as if the cowed all held its breath as her last foot fall echoed in the huge patio area, all eyes on her, waiting in expectation and anticipation, of what? She didn't know.

Silent gasps and awes of wonder filtered to her ears as the drumming of her heart beat against her rib cage and the adrenaline pumped in her veins. She let out the breath she didn't even know she was holding, escape her lungs. She stole a glimpse at the crowd- bad, very bad move on her part, as her focus was taken off of her footing. Her eyes scanned the masked faces for a platinum silver hair of her vey best friend. A glimmer of silver caught her eye on the out skirts of the crowd, quickly narrowing in on the glimmer; her eyes met the liquid amber of the older Tashio. The intensity of his gaze was enough as the recognition that this was not her best friend set in. A small smirk played on the corners of his mouth, something she was able to pick up across the wide gap between them, promptly regaining her composure, she continued her decent onto the last step.

'_Pompous ass, didn't even wear a mask, figures with that ridged mask he always has in place should be enough to- shit'_

With her focus on the Taiyoukai and not on her footing, her last step was placed on the lip of her red train and catching the red fabric in her rather high shoes, she found herself falling towards the tiled floor of the patio, a groan leaving her lips at her inevitable clumsiness.

Having her fall cushioned by one of the rather large diplomats that she didn't recognised, she promptly righted herself, dusting off her dress and regaining the small amount of dignity she could in her current predicament, with scarlet tinted cheeks, she thanked the balding man as murmurs and whispers were taken up by the crowd.

'_Well so much for grace and dignity... told you thee shoes were bad news Sango...'_

In a practised second nature, she resumed her grand entrance and gave a small curtsy to all the masked faces that greeted her. It felt like a lifetime before she was reached out of the moment, and found herself secured in the grasp of her father's arm, her mother on the other side of her.

"You ok my butterfly?"

"Hmm yeah, thanks dad."

"Well, let the magic begin..."

"Bibbity bobbity boo..."

With a small role of her eyes, glad it was hidden under her glittering mask, she followed her father's lead as they lead her towards the stage for the official announcements. Amusement glittering in amber eyes of the late Taiyoukai at her inevitable clumsiness, watching her as she moved.

'_This is proving to be a rather entertaining evening.'_

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

End,

AN/ Here's chapter 2. I'm still ironing out the kinks and I must apologise if my characters are OCC I think the term is? Im trying to stay true to form and bring a little of my own magic into the portrayals. Reviews and feedback are always welcome.

Enjoy,

Magic


	3. Chapter 2: Celebrations

'**Dreams are like stars... you may never touch them, but if you follow them, they will lead you to your destiny.' ~Unknown**

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits**

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 2:

Celebrations

With the last flashing lights of the photographer's cameras, she dislodged the plastered smile from her cheeks. After half an hour of embarrassing retold childhood stories, congratulation, toasts and a very bad tone deaf rendition of 'happy birthday' the shuffling of feet was enough t enlighten her that most of the attention had now shifted from her for the night and onto the entertainment that was provided as people and guests began to dance and socialise with each other.

'_Thanks goodness that's finished, bring on the alcohol, I think I deserve a drink after all that'_

Making her way over to the small bar located at the back end of the elaborately decorated patio area, Kagome Higurashi had one think on the mind, and that was to drown out the next few hours of torturously being shuffled around the dance floor with all of her fathers' business associates and all the 'A list' people who really did not give a stuff about her or her family, but rather the huge and building trust fund that accompanied the Higurashi name.

"Kagome?"

She halted on her mission towards the bar.

"Congratulations sweet cheeks, you look amazing tonight."

Before she could register what was happening, she had been swept off her feet into a very gruff bear hug.

"Hey Kouga, how are you?"

She managed to breathe out before all the air escaped her lungs with the intensity of the hug.

"Fantastic, now that you are finally ready to become my women after all these years of waiting, I get officially mark-"

"Can it wolf shit before I pull that tail out of your mouth from your ass."

Putting Kagome back onto her dainty feet in time as the rest of her mis-match group of friends made their way over to her. Kouga turned to face Inuyasha.

"Hey piss ant, you should be so crude at such a formal affair, and in front of my future woman...'

'Future woman, Ha, yeah... like that would ever happen, haven't your parents just about finished negotiating your marriage to Ayame of the Northern Wolf Tribe?' Inuyasha shut Kouga up from his comeback.

" You should not talk about me as if I'm not here, Dog boy... and to answer your question... we are still negotiating it but my Kouga-bunnykins is going to make the perfect Northern Lord, If anything, Kouga's just jealous that Kagome has the lime light tonight and it goes to show that Sango and I did a fantastic job on her outfit... ' She stated going in for an unwanted cuddle under Kouga's arm.

" She does have a point Inu, Kouga-bunnykins is almost already taken' Sango said adding the jibe to the pair.

'Feh' the hanyou commented, dismissing the reprimand. "When are we going to be done with this shindig and get the partying on?"

"As soon as my father's guests leave, I suppose' was Kagome's answer looking around at all the guests still in the patio area, dancing and socialising.

'Kagome, Sango, Ayame, Eri, Yuki... aah the Gods must favour us tonight to grant us the pleasure of such beautiful company...' Miroku stated making his way over with beverages for the girls.

"I agree, heaven must be missing a few angels tonight", Kouga agreed with the pervert monk.

"Wowee guys you think of those lines all on your own?" Sango piped in, accepting a drink from Miroku.

"Yeah Kouga, didn't know you were borrowing a few leaves off Roku's pervert tree", jibed Inuyasha.

'It's not that bad, plus if I get laid tonight I will be borrowing the whole tree" Kouga countered, winking at a blushing Eri.

With a yank on the wolf Youkai's hair that was gathered at the nape of his neck, the intended wolf daemoness harrumphed and very red in the face, stormed off towards the bathrooms.

" Geeez Kouga, way to be nice to your intended mate. Your such a sleezball..." With another yank in the wolf Youkai's hair, she turned and went after the upset red head.

" What? It's not like we are mated yet, plus this whole thing is our parents' idea... Besides I gotta get my man lovin' on before I really am put on a leash" Kouga answered Sango with a shrug of his shoulders and a wiggle of the eyebrows at the mention of 'man lovin'.

"Well, speaking of 'man lovin' where's our famous Jakotsu and Bank?" questioned Miroku in an effort to change the subject.

" Probably getting their rocks off in the garden somewhere.." Answered Inuaysha

" Hahaha, brings a new meaning to 'man lovin', aye Kouga?" Jibed Miroku.

The wolf cringed at the thought of another breakdown attack from Jakotsu at his baby blue eyes.

"Come on lover boy lets go find the couple and show them your 'man lovin'" Miroku answered, escorting a now skitterish Kouga away from the group.

"Ugh you boys are such flirts, If you will all excuse me, I'm heading to the bar for a shot... or maybe a few I f I have to put up with you lot the whole night" Kagome excused herself from her friends and made her way over to the bar.

"Wait up, I'll join you" Inuyasha said, hurrying to catch up to Kagome who was already ordering her drinks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A pair of entertained gold eyes were taking in the exchange of the birthday girl with a few of her friends in her effort to get to the bar. Sesshoumaru was half listening into the conversation that was happening with the group that he had positioned himself in, talking about the rise of the business market in China with the new exports coming out to Japan. Sesshoumaru, feigning boredom, offered the occasional nod to the man that was doing most of the talking, gracing him with the knowledge that he was somewhat listening. His mind however was concentrating on other, more important things.

The last week he has been plagued with memories, or what he thought were memories shrouding his dreams and making him wake in the middle of the night, covered in a thin layer of sweat, pulse beating rapidly, and another set of torn bed sheets. Thus, he contacted the family advisor, Bokusano, a very old and wise tree Youkai that had served his family for centuries. The Tree Youkai pointed him in the direction of an anciet scroll that he had gotten today by couriering the ancient relic up from Kyoto. It was written in ancient Kanji and he was in the process of deciphering the ancient hieroglyphs, and from what he could gather, so far it spoke of a prophecy, the exact words he had yet to figure out, but it mentioned a light, converted in innocence and pulsing with the brightness of a star. This still baffled the Inuyoukai Lord, something he disliked very much. Yet curiosity always got the better of him and he was in the process of piecing together the pieces of this very delicate puzzle.

The concept of light had him studying the Birthday girl from across the room, and for a second, while she was conversing with her rag-tag bunch of friends, the Youkai Lord, swore, if only for a second, there was a shimmering of blue that surrounded the girl. The Inu Daemon blinked again, curios to take a second look, but it was gone, vanished as if it never was.

**It was real. Right there in front of everyone's face, right there for them to read, they just needed to know what they were looking for and he was the first one to notice. **

The hairs on the back of Sesshoumaru's neck rose ever so slightly, as a feeling of déjà vu, skirting just out of cognitive reach flickered through his mind. His golden eyes narrowed at his rather unexpected discovery as he stalked her from the other side of the room. The girl, the reason for the whole escapade tonight was held in her honour, and yet, despite all the lavishness and utter extravagance of the event and the obvious painstaking hours of planning and readying the place and the extensive guest list, the light and happiness that should have shone from her like a neon star on the birth of its life was not evident in her eyes. The rest of her body shone with the light and freedom of her birthday, but that light, that shone in her breathtaking smile and small giggles at the small talk, was not reflectant in her eyes. In fact it was somewhat absent. And for some ungodly reason, this perplexed the Young Lord that watched as she raised her flute glass for the umpteenth time to clink it gently together with another group of acquaintances who had arrived on her family's invitation to celebrate in honour of her. Kagome Higuashi.

The man that was talking, a business associate of his father that was based in Beijing, China, offered the floor to the older Tashio who stood next to his oldest son.

"Yes I agree with you Master Chou, but on the offhand that the Western Market would accept the bid for the new imports, it would be a very risky decision to make based on what the heresy is, wouldn't you agree Sesshoumaru?"

Hearing his father direct the group's attention to him, he saw his opportunity to excuse himself from the boredom of the business discussion.

"Yes Father, I do agree with you, would it not be better to do an in depth analysis of the target market over there before sending the products over? Anyway, business is business gentlemen and with such a perfect evening, should we not indulge in a bit of enjoyment tonight, and leave the business for Monday?"

" Hahaha, perfect answer my son!, we will make him a prise of Tashio Enterprises yet. My son is right, business can wait gentlemen, the night is young and my glass is empty, so if you'll excuse me, I feel a visit to the bar is in order..."

With that, the older Tahsio son and his son left the group, making their way over to the bar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha, that was vile, I will certainly not be having another shot like that every again, and who on Earth came up with a name like that? Cupids Cum... gross"

Kagome voiced her disgust at the foul tasting tonic she had just knocked back with her best friend.

" Awe come on Kags, one more? It wasn't that bad? I suppose it's called that because it's red and thats what Cupids 'jizz' would taste like? Hell if that's what they call a Cupids Cum, let's try the Quick Fuck next?"

"I see you are still enlightening others with your disgusting lack of etiquette, bother."

Sesshoumaru interrupted his brother's perusal of the 'shot list' .

" Aaah fuck off ice prick, we having birthday drinks over here, so come on Kags, a quick Quick Fuck?"

"If this is your form of seduction, no wonder people think you are still a virgin, halfbreed."

"Now-now boys, we are at a formal affair, be nice." Toga reprimanded both his sons. "Please excuse their obvious lack of manners Kagome. May I wish you on behalf of the Tashio family the warmest wishes on your special day" the Dog General stated before sweeping the young girl up into a warm hug.

"Thank you Uncle Toga, I hope you have enjoyed your evening so far?" Kagome said before being swept up in the hug.

" Awe come on Dad, put her down, I was just getting her a shot! She ain't 12 anymore! Sheesh!" Inuyasha exclaimed while signalling the bar tender.

Putting the girl back on her feet he shot his youngest son a cold look.

'_Now I know where Sesshoumaru gets it from, frigid bastard'_ Inuyasha thought while ordering them all another round of drinks.

"Yes, Congratulations into joining high society" Sesshoumaru commented picking up his whiskey on the rocks and tilting it towards the young girl.

" Here, Here, Happy Birthday! So when has your Father decided to marry you off, as he and I cannot wait for the grandkids!"

Kagome almost chocked on her drink at hearing the comment

" Father I do not think that such a topic is broached on this night."

"Yeah Dad, can the baby talk!"

A small smile graced Kagome's features at the two brothers sticking up for her.

" So you don't want children then Kagome?" The Dog General inquired.

" No, no, I do want children, but when I'm ready, not now, there is still far too much for me to still do before I settle down."

" Well that's good to hear. I shall have to have a word with your father about possibly setting up a union with one of my son's, just don't wait to long my dear, all the good bachelors will be snapped up before you are even begin to look."

Her eyes bulged again at the comment from the older Youkai, as well as the youngest Tashio.

" Eeeew Dad, seriously? Kagome marry me? Thats just... yuck! She's... She's...!" the Inu could not finish the sentence, to astounded by the presumption of the proposal.

"Well it was just a whimsical Idea and she wouldn't have to marry you, she could marry Sessshoumaru? You never know?"

Inuyasha blanched. _' What has Pops taken tonight to make him say such ramdon shit! Must be some kind of Viagra mixing in wit the alcohol... eeew eeew Dad and Viagra... eeew'_

" Marry that Ice prick? Come on Dad, that's just sending her to her death?"

" Well it's just an idea Inuyasha, speaking of which, where is Kei now, I'll go ask him right away.."

" Come on dad that's just insane..."

Sensing Kagome's growing morbid embarrassment over the conversation between the Dog General and his youngest son over her love life and her marriage potential, and his own annoyance at the audacity of his blood relatives, he moved to remove Kagome from the rather uncomfortable situation.

"Kagome, would you care to dance and remove yourself from the drunken banter of an old fool?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

Eyes going even wider than they were before, Kagome's brain began to compute what had just been asked of her, seeing her escape route in the form of the older Tashio, while not the best, it was her only hope. She drowned her Champaign and nodded very vigorously, accepting the offered hand and scuttling along after the Western Prince eager to get away from the marriage talk.

'_Sesshoumaru, you lifesaver... I could kiss you... well if you weren't so... well .. umm well you._'

Leaving Toga and Inuyasha to debate further over her marriage, they made their way over to the dance floor, a steady beat was being played by the live band, and Sesshoumaru lead Kagome to an open space on the dance floor and offered her a slight bow.

Blushing at his formality, she offered him a slight curtsy and accepted his hand, fluttering nervously at the thought of the Youkai Lord cringing under the touch of her human hand. A small noise escaped her throat as the Older Tashio moulded her to his frame and began to sweep her around the room in a slow version of the waltz, keeping perfect time to the _What a Wonderful World_ that was playing.

An even brighter shade of red tinted her cheeks at the closeness of their persons, she found herself looking down a lot, eager to watch her footing so as to not loose balance and embarrass the Young Lord even further with her clumsiness. She was doing a pretty good job that is until he spoke to her.

Annoyed at her nervousness and human antics, he decided to try and calm her nerves in the hopes of finishing the dance and excusing himself from the party all together, having made his intended appearance, he spoke,

" Kagome-san, you look very elegant tonight..."

She looked up at him, taken aback by his comment. Blue uncertainty clashed with gold brilliance as their eyes me, and for a second there was something there she could not place.

Totally distracted by the Young Lord, she forgot her foot work and stepped one too many times, losing her place, and effectively manage to land her high-heeled toe onto the left foot of her dance partner. She readied herself for the oncoming fall she had been trying to avoid after her stairs entrance before.

'_Stupid high shoes... oops that did it... why did he have to comment on how I looked... balls, hello floor, we meet again..."_

Yet ,she did not meet the floor, eyes shut, a few seconds passed and she was still moving gracefully in the arms of the Inuyoukai, she opened her eyes and looked at him, regaining her footing with ease once again as she fell back into step, at his lead.

She looked at him, curiosity shining in her orbs, wondering if he had detected her glitch in timing. What she found was the look of boredom gracing his flawless features, a hint of annoyance in his now stony eyes.

'_Well at least he's not ripping me a new asshole, wait there are too many people here for that, but he didn't have to save me from the embarrassment of another fall ? How?... Why?'_

" How, how...why did you save me from falling on my ass?" She couldn't help but voice the last of her thoughts.

"Although you still lack some finesse in your dancing and the clumsiness you display while wearing such ridiculously high footwear, this Sesshoumaru thought that he would save you the embarrassment of yet another fall tonight."

Taken aback yet again by his chivalry, well if you can call it that from the Young Lord, she took on a crimson shade and looking down bashfully, missing the glint of something that flashed in the Young Lord's eyes. She managed a very quiet,

"Arigato Sesshoumaru-sama"

He was about to correct her in her formal thank you, something about the way she addressed him not sitting well with his beast. The music then changed, Sesshoumaru began to slow from his waltz, before having the time to address her again, there was a tap on his left shoulder, he looked up to find Lord Naraku.

" Excuse me Tashio-san, I was hoping to relieve the girl of your presence and cut in?"

Seething at the remark from the Hanyou spider, the Young Lord let loose a snarl, his grip tightening on Kagome's frame.

"Watch yourself spider..."

" My apologies Dog, I was unaware that you have become the preverbal bitch in your family, taking on such trivial matters of socialising with the humans." The last part spoken like the word would poison him at the mention of it.

Another growl let loose from the Young Lord, his Youki rising at the feeling of the oncoming threat the Spider Hanyou presented.

"Control your tongue Spider, or you shall find yourself missing a few of your legs before the night is out..."

Releasing Kagome from his grasp, the young girl shuddered at the feeling of the rising energies. Bristled by the audacity of the Southern Heir, Kagome sought to calm the situation and defend herself against the brash Spider.

"Forgive me Onigumo-Sama, I thank you for attending my celebration, would it not be best in the interests of my family and the Tashio family that the politics between the West and the South be discussed another day, outside of the enjoyment this celebration is suppose to bring, and the honouring of the Tashio clan in their humble nature in hosting this special occasion."

Taken back by the humble nature of their hostess, the Spider Hanyou was left speechless and seething at the audacity of this dainty human.

Taking his silence as affirmation of her request, Kagome excused herself to take part in the closing ceremony to the evening, leaving a slightly amused Inu Lord and a fuming Spider.

"This is not over Tashio..."

With the looming threat and darkness his words promised, the Spider turned on his heel and stormed off the dance floor, following the gathering crowd for the end of night ceremony, leaving the Inu Lord alone in his thoughts.

'_Hn, Bold of the young human... does she not realise that this Sesshoumaru can fight his own battles, pestilent Spider shall pay for his insolence... This does however add to a very interesting piece to the enigma... I shall get Jaken onto it immediately."_

Miffed at the wounded pride the Young Lord had attained by the boldness of the young human woman, coupled with the insults from the Spider Prince, he couldn't help the small seed of respect that was planted in the Inu Lord for the defending of his House against the Spider, and the humble nature that she reprimanded the spider in, a true lady of court. The Inu removed his Blackberry from his pocket and instructed the little Kappa to have his ride ready as he made a swift exit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was after the party, they had just finished saying good bye to all the guests and Kagome had her pumps in her hand as she bound up the stars, Champagne in her system and she was a light, the thrill of a night on the town offered her a taste of the forbidden fruit that accompanied her turning 21, she was now legal and shell be damned if she was going to spend the night in. almost keeling over in a flurried movement of turning left and opening her bedroom door at the same time, one of her pumps left the grasp of her hand and fell to the floor with a resounding thud, completely unnoticed by her as she made a mad dash for her wardrobe, flinging the doors open, she immediately began rummaging through her clothes. Dresses of every design flying over her petite shoulders to land in a rain of designer fashion on the plush carpeted bedroom.

"Eurika, I knew there was a reason Sango got me this dress..."

The excited 21 year old exclaimed holding the article of clothing aloft in the air, eyeing the masterpiece of her mind's eye of her perfect evening dress. A deep pink satin number, she lay the small article out on her bed and proceeded to undress from the many layers of silk and faue leather from her masquerade dress.

Making sure her strapless bra was securely in place, she slipped the pink satin over her head and adjusted the silk to a more comfortable fit around her form, walking over to the wardrobe once again, she eyed the white and pink pumps she kept in her shoe rack, and slipped them onto her feet with a groan.

'_At least I can walk in these, don't know if I will last the whole night though after being in those monstrosities for the majority of the evening'_

She thought offering the discarded black strapped pumps lying forgotten by the door an evil glare.

She made her way over to her vanity, about to do her hair, when there was a light tap on the door, her mother stood at her door, still dressed in her evening gown, minus the mask and heels, a glittering parcel of gold and red wrapping in her hands.

"Sweetheart, may I come in?"

"Sure Mom, what sup?'

"I wanted to give this to you before you go out tonight, your birthday gift from us…"

Her mother explained as she made her way into the bedroom heading for the bed as her daughter accompanied her and sat on the edge of the plush linen.

"Happy Birthday sweetheart, I have been keeping this for you for a long time…. It is finally time you have it."

Handing the gift over to her daughter, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Eyeing the gift with curious eyes, Kagome took the gift for her mother, slowly beginning to unbind the delicate wrapping of silk bows and ribbons that bound the gift, the two sat in pregnant silence as Hana watched Kagome's hands at work on the gift.

Finally the last bow gave way to a silver box; she tossed the wrapping on the floor and ran her hand over the textured material of the cover of the box imprinted with what she could guess as being small crescent moons.

Looking up at her mother in question, she received a reaffirming nod for her to open the lid.

Lifting the silver lid, her eyes widened at the small leather bound book that lay nestled in the silver velvet cushioning of the box.

"Happy birthday my princess"

Her father's voice drifted in from her door way, she briefly glanced at him, a sentimental smile creasing her lips in welcome of her father's presence as he lent against the door frame, his bow-tie hanging loosely around his neck and the first three buttons of his tuxedo undone, arms folded, he smiled back in return, waiting for her to explore her gift.

Kagome lifted the leather bound book out of the box, running her hands over the polished cover examining it as she turned it over in her hands, coming to rest on the front of the book, where a set of ancient kanji were etched into the leather, the book sealed with a leather bind that wrapped around the book twice and came to bind near the edge of the book under a metal clasp in the shape of a sun.

"What is it?" she asked her parents in a whispered awe at the ancient binding.

"A very special gift" her father answered.

"A storybook" her mother added.

"Open it…" they urged together.

Unwrapping the leather binding, she unclasped the sun clasp from the pages and opened the leather cover with a small groan from the book from lack of use.

Her eyes drank in the first page, what looked like a title, then turning the page over, in a set of ancient kanji she has never had the knowledge of learning, a small blurb was written in an exquisite penmanship with the ink almost shimmering in its metallic brilliance.

"It's beautiful" she whispered.

Smiles broke out on both her parents faces at her whispered declaration of the gift.

Scanning the unknown words on the page, her eyes came to rest on a pair of kanji she would know anywhere. Whispering them out loud as she read them, a physical declaration that what she was reading was not in her imagination, she read,

'_Kagome of the Bow' _

Her name, it was her name in the ancient Kanji looking up at her parents once again she asked

"What does this mean?"

Her father was the first to answer her as the room seemed to fill with a type of mystical air that swept the young girl up in the magic of the moment.

"This, my _musume,_ is the story of you, who you are and how you came to be…" he spoke in a cryptical deliverance.

"Sweetheart, it is the fairytale, the ultimate story you will ever be told, your story, your fairy tale."

Kagome's brows knitted together in confusion.

"But… but how can I ever find out my story when I can't even read the writing Mom?" She looking back at the kanji once again.

"My princess you will read it when it is time for you to read it, for now, you are left with one clue, turn to the back of the book"

Following her father's instructions, she turned to the back of the book where in the leather binding cover, there was a pocket in the leather; she lifted the pocket to find a small painted portrait of a man.

She drank in the portrait and time seemed to stop, she was mesmerised by him, his golden eyes shimmered with a mysterious secret that brought the man to life in the 2 dimensional imagery, his long silver hair flowing behind him as if being swept away by a gentle breeze, Goosebumps ran up her spine as the golden eyes stared right back at her. A tingling sensation shot through her body, it tickled with her sub conscious and teased her mind, she tried to access the information, but it eluded her, like a forgotten dream.

'_Do I know you?_' She questioned the portrait stranger.

She was brought out of her trance by mother.

"Im going to say good night now sweetheart, happy birthday my angel" she gave her daughter a tight squeeze and a simple kiss to the forehead, fighting back tears, she made her way over to her husband at the door, Kagome still stunned by the portrait, set the picture aside, forgotten for now, and made her way over to the door where her parents stood.

"Thank you Mom, Dad….for everything."

It was her Dads turn to hug her as he enveloped his petite daughter against his chest, breathing in her sent, he whispered his wishes

"Happy birthday sunshine… may all your dreams come true."

A tear slid down her Mother's cheek, the flood gates have broke, just like at the toasts tonight.

Then relinquishing his daughter, Kei Higurashi gathered his wife in his arms as he ushered her down the passage to their room with Hana hiccoughing along the way trying to keep the tears at bay.

Kagome watched her parents disappear down the passage, her Father's voice echoing down the hallway.

"Enjoy your night out with your friends, princess."

With that, she went back to finish getting ready for her night out on the town.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

End

AN/ And the plot thickens... I struggled with this chapter as I am still piecing together the elements of the story, but I want to convey each character with a sense of their personality in each little tid-bit of information that is given. I think I am finally getting the juggling act that is the writing of one of these epic stories. I just hope I can cram all my ideas into one streamline effect that is a story :p

Reviews and feedback are always welcome.

Enjoy,

Magic


	4. Chapter 3 : A Night to Remeber

'**Our body is a small universe.' ~ Daoren**

Standard disclaimer applies

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits**

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 3:

A Night to Remember

As the exited the limo at Club Shikon, all the girls were giddy with excitement, eagerly heading to the front of the club and bypassing the long queue of people waiting to get let into the extravagant club, Kagome mentioned her name on the VIP list and the group of girls made their way inside, all babbling excitedly about the evenings past events at the Tashio estate and the anticipation of the night ahead.

" Here we go, man they look like a group of gaggling geese, who's dumbass idea was it that we take different limos for the guys and the girls, they are only like an hour bloody late." Inuyasha grumbled as he downed his shooter.

" Cool it man, at least they are here, and my, my... don't they look good..."

"Miroku, they only just arrived, quit eyeing them out already... let's go let them know that we are here..." Bank stated making his way from the VIP area towards the group of girls.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

"I have absolutely no idea who could help you with the Kanji Kags?" Sango answered her best friends question making their way into the club.

" I know, it was worth asking though, who gives a old book as a 21st present anyway? And my parents were so secretive and bloody creative with their answers when I asked them... 'you will be able to read it when you ready'... seriously?" Kagome tried a very bad rendition of her father's voice, venting her frustration at the mysterious gift.

" I think it's so cool and mysterious, like a puzzle about yourself that you have to figure out..." Eri added her thoughts.

" Haha yeah, it makes you more mysterious Kags, and you are dressed to kill tonight..." Ayame added.

" Yeah Kagome, that dress looks so good on you! Im SO jelous" Eri stated at the blushing birthday girl.

" Yeah Kags, you do look sexy! I bet you gonna get some tail tonight then, hey Sango?"

" She may even loose her virginity tonight..."

"Yeah, you did a good job of her Birthday present Sango, she looks smashing, and the blue one looks good on you, even goes with your black sequined pumps."

" Haha ,thanks girls, yes I agree, Kags you do look smashing!" Sango agreed with the girls.

" Awe come on ladies, I only look good because I have all of you as my entourage tonight... as for my virginity... lest see what eye candy we can find tonight" Kagome confessed with a wiggle of her eyebrows at the girls.

"Did I hear something about virgin?" questioned Kouga as he entered the circle of women

"Indeed you did my good friends, as the women have arrived, so our insatiable need for eye candy has been satiated..." Miroku chimed in after the wolf Youkai.

He was met by a whack on the head by a studded clutch by Sango. "we are not at the ceremony anymore Monk... so you will do well to can it before I remove your foot from your mouth..."

" But my butterfly... I was just admiring the natural beauty of the heavenly creatures before me..." He swooned over Sango, her temperature reaching boiling point and the night only beginning.

" Watch it monk... or you will be taking a vow of chastity tonight..."

" But Sango, you are my Goddess of Divine creation... do not fear as my whims are only for your beauty-"

He was cut short by the clutch that again met the back of his head and Miroku following Sango to the bar in an attempt to ease her temper.

" Man those two do like to play rough... "

" Yeah" Inuyasha agreed watching the arguing pair. "I think Miroku's attempt at downing a whole bottle of Jack Daniels before we got out the limo isn't helping though..."

"They should just screw and get it over with..." Kouga piped into the conversation.

" Ten bucks says Sango gets laid tonight" Kagome chimed in.

" Hahaha Kagome! You Dirty girl! Ill take that! I say Miroku passes out before he even gets a chance." Inuyasha added.

" Well who wants a drink? Tequila and I are ready to get acquainted" Kagome suggested making her way to the bar after Sango and Miroku.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

High above the buzz of the night club, the Naraku Onigumo sat with his entourage discussing the evening's events.

Downing a shot of bourbon, the Spider spoke to his minions.

" I have never been so insulted in my live... the audacity of that human girl... who does she think she is, talking to ME, the Heir of the Southern Lands to like that!"

" Don't worry Raku Baby... we will get her for how she insulted you tonight, and in front of your father and the Western Heir, the bitch will get what is coming to her." Kagura chimed in from between the Hanyou's legs.

" Shut up Kagura! You have no place in discussing my father's plans!" Naraku stated pushing her head back down, to finish what she had started.

Kagura had been the bed mistress of Naraku Onigumo since he came of age to rut, the Spider Hanyou had taken a liking to her as a young adolescent, and had forced the issue of sex when he threatened to imprison her and her sister if she did not agree to his whims, the Spider took control of their hearts and freedom. That was about 6 summers ago, now the Wind Witch was his concubine and 'stress relief' for times like this.

He groaned in pleasure as Kagura made short work of her 'stress relieving'.

" Now, a little rat has squealed to me that the Higurashi heir has come to MY club tonight to celebrate her birthday..." Naraku gleamed menacingly at his band of thugs, tucking away his equipment as he did so.

Naraku, being the heir of the South, had a few projects that he dabbled in, the Shikon Club being one of them, a natural cover for his covert operations in the importing and exporting of the narcotic called 'the Jewel', a highly manufactured and chemical engineered narcotic that sent the average human humming to heaven then back down in a vortex of ecstasy that bordered on madness. On Youkai the drug was an aphrodisiac, heightening the senses to induce a trans-like state that suspended the body and mind in a realm of pure pleasure. The drug to both human and Youkai was fatal if addicted, and obviously illegal. Yet this supported the slave trade business in the South with funding and offered the Sex industry another point of revenue.

Naraku then turned towards the one way glass from his office above the club, looking out onto the dance floor, he spoke his orders.

" I think a warm welcome is in order... see to it that this is a night the Higurashi Kagome will never forget... Hiten, you know what to do..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome was abuzz with the toxic level of tequila in her system; she was in her own world as she swayed her hips in time to the heavy beat of the clubs Trans-music and swung her head around in a burlesque fashion. Eri and Jakotsu were dancing with her in a small circle near the speaker.

By now, Miroku and Sango had made up, they were 'canoodling' on one of the couches in the VIP lounge, sipping their drinks quietly and whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears.

Inuyasha eyed the couple up by the bar, shifting to keep a close eye on Kagome, like he had promised his old man and her father he would. He took another sip of his whiskey and turned to Bankotsu.

"Man you think those two would just get a room already, they been at it for like 2 hours now, and Check Kagome... she's still going hard, haha completely drunk Hojou under the table, She doubled his 12 tequila shots and he's passed out in his own booth next to our love birds. He gestured towards the booth with his thumb.

Both Bank and Inuyasha turned to look at Hojou, lying on his tummy across one of the seats, a puddle of drool forming where his open mouth was on the cushion.

Sexy stuff man, no wonder the dude is still a virgin." Quipped the Youkai, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Both turned back to the group of girls dancing to the music.

" Hey Yasha, you into Kagome at all?" he started a new topic of conversation, eager to get the cisual of the drunken human out his mind.

" No, What? Why are you asking me that man? We have been friends since school! What makes you say that?"

" Because she keeps looking at you with those bedroom eyes... check it out man." He gestured towards the dance floor where they could see the small group of them dancing.

"Ummm"

The Inu Hanyou gulped when he made eye contact with one of his best friends, her eyes half lidded, her body swaying to the rhythmic beat of the music, she had pulled her hair over the one shoulder, exposing the one side of her throat to the night air in an attempt to cool herself off. Her eyes closed as a particularly strong set of chords came out the speakers and she flung her arms in the air, opening here eyes she caught the Hanyou's attention and beckoned him with her finger to the group of dancing intoxicated 'girls'. This was either the most disturbing or sexiest thing the Inu Hanyou had ever seen in his life.

' _Damn, when did she become so... so... freaking hot...well it ain't disturbing...or is it?' _his mind settling on the latter, the Inu Hanyou turned back to Bank, having spotted the eye contact between the two males and watching Jakotsu sway his hips to the music in the suggestive fashion was enough for the inu Hanyou to take.

"Damn man, why don't you and Jakotsu just get it on, instead of having eye sex with her across the room, I would like to keep my eye virginity intact for another night thanks." He offered Bank before downing the rest of his drink.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna leave you and your eye sex man to do your thing..."

With that Inuyasha made his way over to the girls, Jakotsu ducking out, heading back the way Inuyasha came.

"Hey Kags, you alright?" Inuyasha whispered in her ear.

" Hnnnn, yes Inu... feel that beat."

She moved to stand in front of the speaker, having the bass drumming right through her body.

" It turns your body to jelly and pulses with life.."

She pulled the Inu Hanyou along with her, body on body, they both felt the bass pumping through them, Kagome ran her hands up Inuaysha's arms, living a tingling sensation behind on the way up to his dog ears. The hanyou gave into the moment, dipping his head into the swell of his best friends exposed throat, he took in her sent.

"It's like liquid sex Inuyasha... feel..."

She stated in a hushed whisper just as she rubbed the tips of his pointy ears. And feel he did, he groaned as he's body swayed in time to the music with hers, each thump was a push, higher and higher, as the Inu Hanyou let go, further and further away from what he knew and more into the realm of exotic that he had never experienced before.

He had never been so turned on in all his life, he wasn't sure if it was the alcohol in his system talking or the fact that he had realised tonight that his best friend was not a woman, it was all so surreal to him. She groaned as she felt the budding evidence of his erection grinding into her hip as they swayed. Adding fuel to the fire, Eri came up behind him and effectively sandwiched the hanyou in a pulsing dance of an erotic threesome. The Hanyou groaned in absolute pleasure, he could feel his baser side building to take over, revelling in the attention of the females.

'_Yup, definitely the alcohol... I thought I was supposed to see green fairies, not the most erotic thing between my best friends... hello absinth, we meet at last..._' The hanyou's head began to spin with the heavy music and his natural instincts kicking in.

Realising the risk of his Youkai side taking over, he opened his eyes and in a rough voice that was drowning in the erotic sensation of his best friends body, excused himself from the girls, eager to regain control as he made his way to the bathroom.

He splashed his face with water and looked has his reflection, his eyes tinted red in the corners and his marks, a bit more jaggered than normal. He splashed his face again, with the cold water and ran a hand through his mass of silver hair.

" Man what was I thinking, that was the most... well the sexiest thing I think I have ever experienced... Kagome, man... She looks so much like Kikyou when she did that..."

The hanyou allowed his mind to shift to Kagome's cousin, Kikyou, as girls, the two were often mistaken as twins. The night, after their graduation celebration, Kikyou had approached Inuyasha, stating that she had had a crush on him for ages and she would be not be complete if until takes her virginity, little did the hanyou know that he would not be the first to take part of her divine fruit. The Hanyou never really got over the break up. That's when he and Kagome had become such good friends, she had spotted the rift that had formed between the two, and realised that Kikyou was responsible, and made it her mission to put the hanyou back together. They had been best friends since. Now here he was having dirty thoughts about his best friends. Thinking that this was the most erotic thing he had ever seen or experienced.

" _When did Kagome stop being a girl and turn into a woman? Am I bad for thinking about her that way? Ok... Stop it Inuyasha, you are going to go out there and get your best friends and take her home before she falls into a tequila induced coma and you can no longer keep your claws off her. "_

Taking one last look at himself in the mirror the hanyou psyched himself up to face his friend again, eager for the night to come to an end so that he could make sense of these newly emerging feelings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He arrived back at the bar to let Bank and the rest of the guys know that he would be taking Kagome and who ever wanted to come with them home. He found Bank feeling up Jakotsu, leaning on the bar. He tapped on his shoulder.

" Hey man.."

" Inuyasha, what the fuck man? Im in the middle-" Inuyasha cut him off.

" Sorry man, I don't mean to interrupt you and, umm yeah whatever you were doing..." Eyeing the dishevelled queen up he continued.

" I'm gonna go man, I'm gonna take Kagome home, I think she has had one too many tequila shots and she has that breakfast tomorrow so I think we should be heading off, you gonna be ok on your own?"

" Yeah man, well be sweet, thank Kagome for me ok?" He patted the hanyou on the back and went back to swooning Jak on the bar.

The hanyou made his way over to the VIP lounge benches where he had left Miroku and Sango, finding Miroku with his head in his hands, looking very sorry for himself.

" Hey Roku, where's Sango?" He said, taking a seat next to the Monk.

" Ugh, my dear Inuyasha, love is a very fickle thing, my lotus blossom has left me.." the Monk stated in theatrical drunken sadness.

" Well my friend, let's get you and MR Hot Shot passed out over there, home" he said, gesturing to a snoring Hojou.

" I think that would be a very wise-"

Miroku was interrupted by a high pitched scream that floated above the heavy beat of the music, piercing the air with panic. This was followed by a scuffling on the dance floor and the insults of a very distinctive voice.

" Thats Sango! What's happened, come on Inuyasha, she went to go and find Kagome and the girls..."

Both Miroku and Inuyasha were startled by the scream and the insults and quickly made their way down to the commotion. What they found sobered them both up very quickly, bouncers were removing some very dodgy looking guy out the club, Ayumi was trying to comfort a very distraught Sango. The boys arrived to take in their state, Sango's dress was ripped up the seam, she was in a panic, and throwing her purse and whatever else she could get her hands on at the ugly man the bouncers were removing from the club. Ayumi was in tears. Miroku grabbed a hold of Sango who was still hysterical.

" Hey, Hey, Sango, calm down butterfly... it's me, Sango..."

She turned to Miroku and flung herself into his arms, tears sprang to her eyes and the damn broke as she buried her head into the monk's shoulders.

" Shhhh calm down butterfly, I'm here now... Shhhh"

While Miroku was consoling Sango, Ayumi sought safety with Inuyasha, who hugged her in return. Bank and Jak made their way over to the group.

" Shhh Ayumi, what happened?' Inuyasha coaxed.

" We were dancing, and, because its Kagome's favourite song, and... and Sango came over... and...we started dancing... and we all hugged... and this guy came over... and Sango told him to go... and then he started feeling up my bum... and I screamed... and Sango punched him... and he.. and he... and he ripped her dreeeeesssssss." The girl broke down after relaying the story to the distraught group.

Miroku swelled with pride at the feistiness of his girl. Sango was known for being the essential 'cock blocker' of the group, and she certainly lived up to her reputation.

Inuyasha's alarm bells were going off, then he noticed what was wrong. He rubbed Ayumi's back in small circles when he asked, " Hey speaking of Kagome, where is she?"

"That got the whole groups attention, all of them turned around in an effort to spot the spunky dark haired girl.

" What?" Sango voiced from Miroku's shoulder " She was right here with us a moment ago?"

"Damn it" Inuyasha cursed as he sped towards the entrance of the club "Damn it all to hell."

A lump began to form in the back of the hanyou's throat as the realisation of the current predicament set in. He had let his old man down, and Kagome's father as well.

Kagome's was nowhere in sight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was dark, very, very dark; Kagome could not see her hand several inches in front of her face. She knew this feeling of claustrophobia but she really could not bring herself to care. She was vaguely aware that at the back of her mind, her conscious was letting her know that she should be in a state of panic, but the drunken Kagome that was in control really could not be bothered by such trivial nonsense.

She became aware that she was moving, so she was in a car on some sort, her ankle felt all tingly and she tried to bring her memory of the last half an hour to the fore front of her mind, but failed miserably, so instead, she decided to sit on the floating cloud of pleasure she had found, closing her eyes, she tried to relax. Something in the back of her mind offered her subconscious a warning.

'_Your being kidnapped... wake up already... when you sober up you and I are going to have a big talk about your new friend, tequila...'_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End


	5. Chapter 4: Beginning of the Feud

'**All relative to your view of the world...'~Yoda **

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits**

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 4

The Beginning of the Feud

AN/ Thank you for the awesome words of encouragement Lady Giselle and casedeputy, please keep them coming! Here's the next instalment in my story, please let me know if the way of me telling the story is too fragmented to understand... I have the next two chapters in the pipeline! :D yay

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sliding to a stop in front of the club, Inuyasha made a bee line for the bouncers.

"Hey, hey... Yo ugly...yes you... Where did you throw that guy?" The one burly lump of muscle you could call a bouncer turned around at the question from Inuyasha.

" You talking to me half-breed?"

" Yes Ugly I'm talking to you. Where the fuck did you throw that asshole you kicked out of her? He kidnapped my friend... "

By now the other bouncer had turned around.

" Oh you mean Rengotsu?"

"Yeah, was that his name?"

" Oh yeah he comes here all the time, Lord Naraku makes us throw him out regularly when he gets too close to the ladies.." The one bouncer chuckled.

" Shhhh Kenji, Lord Naraku told us not to say anything remember?"

A look so sheer confusion took over the one bouncers face, and his chubby fingers came up to scratch his balled head.

'_A vacation from his balls I'm sure...' _thought Inuaysha.

" But, Kenjo, Lord Naraku told us not to say anything to the Lord of the West, not this half-breed."

" I know Kenji, but maybe we should just be quiet just in case the half-breed over here knows the Lord of the West."

Confusion clearly written all over both brothers faces, Inuyasha was getting testy with the two lumps of hired muscle.

" Oi, Fuckbag A and Fuckbag B, which way did Rengotsu go?"

Both brothers scratched their heads and pointed in opposite directions.

"I think he went that way, west?"

"No Kenjo, he went south, that way, why would he go west when we are not allowed to be in the West?"  
>" Maybe he was going to go and tell the Lord of the West."<p>

" Kenji, who it the Lord of the West?"

" Lord Naraku Kenjo, of course?"

" Ugh, you two are useless..." Inuyasha left the brothers arguing over who the Lord of the West was. He got out his Blackberry and dialled the speed dial as he made his way back into the club to the rest of the group. The lump in his throat building as the seriousness of the situation was sinking in from what he discovered from the muscle twins.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was about to take a sip of the newly brewed cup of coffee, sitting at his desk he was about to finalise the last of the paperwork that would be needed to complete the business deal with the Singapore leg of the Four Aisan Tigers company that he had been working on for months, the deal of a life time that his father had entrusted to him as a 'Rite of Passage' to earning the place of CEO in his father's eyes. As he lifted the cup to his lips, his mobile rang the tune that it belted out grated on his nerves and he rolled his eyes, uncharacteristically, something that he would never do in the public eye.

The tune of Lady Gaga _Judas_ belted out from his cell phone, alerting the young Taiyoukai Prince to the incoming call from his half brother. It rang once.

"What could the whelp have done now that he has to contact me in the middle of the night."

It rang twice.

The Young Inu sighed and put his coffee down.

He answered the phone.

" Half-breed..."

In the space of a minuet his facial expression changed from annoyance, to mild surprise then to anger and he listened to his half brother.

Inuyasha had relayed the past events to his brother, the harassing of the man named Rengotsu and the bouncer brothers, leaving out the part about Kagome being hideously intoxicated, and how he came to the conclusion that she was kidnapped, his emotions still a little to frazzled to obtain the verbal degradation from his half brother just yet about letting his hormones get the better of him.

"Why have you not contacted Father on this yet, Half-breed?"

"Because icicle-butt, Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum mentioned ' Lord Naraku' and how he orchestrated them not to mention the harassing of the girls by the guy Rengotsu, and something about not telling the "Lord of the West" even through the could not tell that they were brothers, they probably look at their refection in the mirror and think that they are talking to each other."

" Hnnn"

" Hhnnn does not help me Bastard, can you get your slimy green toad to find out where the fuck this guy is from and what we can do about it?

" And why, dear brother, should this Sesshoumaru use his resources to find your _ningen onna_ ?"

" Because you daft prick, if Dad finds out that I let her get kidnapped, all hell will break loose between the Higurashi family and us, and you, dear brother, will lose your investor in that stupid business deal you have been working on so very hard. "

"_The whelp does have a point, on the other hand, I could let him take the brunt of this from father, It would be quite amusing to see the look on his face when father disowns him, and realises the mark this hanyou blood has on our family... Yet there is something to the girl... I do owe her for defending our House against the Spider..."_

" Very well brother. I shall be in touch, see if your insignificant nose can follow her scent until I get there."

With that the older Tashio put down.

" _Follow her sent... why didn't I think of that..._ "

Inuyasha made his way back inside to the distraught group all concerned for Kagome's safety. He insisted on getting them all home and began to ring their relevant rides to lift the drunken couples back to their houses, promising that he will be in touch if anything comes up about Kagome's disappearance.

Inuyasha then tried to follow Kagome's sent, allowing his mind to drift to the moment when they were grinding up against the speaker, where he took in her sent last, he almost groaned at the memory.

Then a shudder ran through his spine as his jumbled emotions came to him in a wave of nauseating panic. What if something happened to Kagome? How could he forgive himself? Who would be there to put him back together...

Memories of his very first love Kikyo flashed before him in a montage to his broken heart, still tender when broaching the subject.

" _No, hang on Kagome I'm coming for you... and I'm gonna kill whoever did this to you". _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sango's determination took her and Miroku to the police station instead of back to their respective houses.

By the time that they had gotten to the front of the line, for they had to queue with all the other thugs and pop tarts that were found on the streets during the early hours of the morning and had been brought back to the station for processing and questioning. Finally, a now relatively sober Sango addressed the meathead behind the desk.

" Hi, umm... we're here to report a kidnapping?"

" Nnnn Hmmm, name of victim?"

" Umm Kagome, Kagome Higurashi."

" Hnnn and when was the last time you have seen the victim?"

"Umm about 4 hours ago, roughly."

The meathead looked up at her with a very board expression of his face; clearly he had been doing this all night.

" Ma'am, that would be classified as a missing persons case, you have to go down the hall and fill out form UB 42 A and then hand that into the box marked Missing Persons, the police will only respond to the request 24 hours of the person being missing before they are declared missing."

The bored tone seeping into his gestures as he showed Sango and Miroku where to find the paperwork as if it was the simplest thing on Earth and the two of them were the biggest retards for not knowing this.

The vein on Sango's forehead was throbbing; clearly she had had just enough of the meathead.

" Now listen here you pompous ass wipe, the heir to the Higurashi legacy has been kidnapped, hijacked, taken, swiped from thin air, you feeling me?" she paused, allowing air back into her lungs, " we have seen the kidnapping with our own eyes and you dare to sit there and tell me this is just some other missing person's case you ass? NOW I am here to report a KIDNAPPING OR DO I HAVE TO LODGE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE LACK OF COMPETEMNCE ABOUT THE STAFF HERE ASWELL?"

Her voice rose in volume and anger as Miroku tried to calm her down by petting her shoulder to which she just shrugged off, leaning over the desk she finished her rant centimetres away from the cop's face, who by now had shrunk back in his chair, completely taken aback by the outburst from the petite women, still in her cocktail dress and messy hairdo.

Taking in a calming breath, Sango closed her eyes and gathered her composure again, looking back at the cop, she waited for a response.

"..."

Silence greeted her.

" Well, if you cannot help me I shall find someone who can..."

Snatching up her clutch off the steel benches she and Miroku had occupied for the last 3 hours, she made her way past the front desk.

" Ma'am, you cannot go there..."  
>The meathead behind the desk tried to stop her.<p>

Miroku followed Sango with a roll of his eyes and a huff, offering the cop behind the desk a shrug and a mouthed, "Sorry".

Heels clicking on the linoleum floor, Sango made her way over to the first desk with a very beefy officer sitting behind on the phone, his uniform a few sizes too small for him, obviously done in an attempt to make his beefy arms look more buff.

" Excuse me..." She addressed 'Beefy'.

He held up his hand to her, still talking into the receiver of the telephone.

Sango on her last nerve, reached over the desk and pushed down on the call button, ending the phone call, she then addressed the cop again.

" Excuse me, Beefy... I have a kidnapping to report, who the hell can I talk to about that or are all of your staff so bloody incompetent that they cannot process a stupid report-"

" Umm Miss Taija, my name is Hiten, I am a detective here at the Bureau, perhaps we can talk in my office..."

Cut off in the middle of her rant, Sango turned to find a very handsome Youkai , taken aback by his words, Sango deflated in defeat and made her way towards his office, grabbing Miroku by the hand on the way.

Pulling the slated blinds down in his office Hiten addressed them.

" You are going to have to excuse my college, Deric was a transfer, wanted to become a stunt double, but didn't quite have to the brains." He gestured to 'Beefy' as he perched himself on the corner of his desk, Sango and Miroku sitting in the guest chairs facing him.

"Somehow, I would have never guessed that..." Miroku said, his voice lased with sarcasm.

" Now, did I hear you mentioning the Higurashi heir and kidnapping out there in one of your rants?"

"Yes you did, she was kidnapped this evening, right before our eyes", Sango confirmed with the detective.

"Hold on a sec", it was Miroku's time to interject. "How exactly do we know you are a detective and how did you know our names, before we tell you anything..."

"Very well... My name in Hiten Kastuma, I have been working with the Tokyo department for quite some time and helping them with their drug and narcotic crackdown, I and my younger brother, Manten Katsuma are originally from Kyoto, thus with the small amount of staff on this evening, I through I might offer you a hand." He stated while flashing the couple his badge and gesturing towards his qualifications lining the wall.

" Wow, you really one of the Kastuma lightening brothers? You guys brought down the War Lord Kageromaru, didn't you?"

" Yes you have a keen eye Ms Taija..." He confirmed with a small smile towards the young girl.

"That still doesn't answer my question about how you know our names..." Miroku interjected again.

"Well we have been tracking the narcotic trade and have a good lead on one of the four Lords of Japan, and naturally with the Higurashi connection to one of them, we have been keeping an eye on your movements..."

"Well you obviously weren't keeping a good enough 'eye' on us if you let Kagome get kidnapped..." Sango answered exasperated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome's mind was adrift in a sea of numbness, she felt like she was floating in water, weightless and drifting. Thoughts pooled around her being like ripples in a pond, gently illuminating her mind to the motion of her thoughts.

'_Inuyasha feel the beat... it's like liquid sex...'_

' _Hold on my musume, Daddy will make all the bad things go away...'_

'_You will read it when you are ready to know its secrets... your destiny...'_

'_Destiny, it is something that connects people across time... if you wish it Koi, I will find you again_..._'_

The last thought a little more prominent in her mind, she couldn't quite place the thought or memory, neither could she decide if it was a thought or memory... it felt like the latter but she was not too sure...

Then she was falling, the safety of the water she was floating in was gone, vanished, she landed on something hard...

'_Must be the ground...'_ She through lazily.

She was surrounded by pitch black, an inky darkness that snuffed out all light, and just when she could feel the onslaught of anxiety and fear setting in, she saw a pair of golden, piercing eyes, they were staring at her from a distance. She knew these eyes; they shone in the dark of her mind, tunnelling her focus onto them. They glowed with knowing and reason, wisdom and insight. A warm hue that she could place but didn't want to, or didn't need to.

" Do I know you?" She spoke out into the echoing dark. They eyes blinked, a warmer glow shone from them, he was smiling, she gathered.

" I do know you, don't I?" Was she asking herself or the person there?

" **Kagome of the Bow, it is time to wake up and rise above this mist of uncertainty, I wait in the shadow of dawn..."** As the mysterious voice spoke, surrounding her, omnipresent and yet not there at all, the golden eyes rushed at her form, passing right through her and as the last word flittered on her mind, as her body rose into consciousness.

'_dawn..._'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

As she drifted in to waking, Kagome found her eyelids heavy, she willed them to open but found they were glued to her skull, so instead she opted to focus on her other senses. Her head hurt like hell had been knocking on her the base of her neck and left her head with a rather large dent in it.

'_Damn this is one killer hangover..._'

Somewhere in the recesses of her mind she could hear the small voice saying

'_I told you so...'_ She felt ashamed but couldn't place why.

She groaned, the small noise escaping her throat, she became aware that she was parched; she was so thirsty that it felt and tasted like an Arabs dry sandal was let in her throat, scratchy and full of sand. Her lips were also swollen she realised, puffy to the point where they hurt as well. She tried to swallow and upon the mixture of her saliva and sand, there was the metallic twang of something...

'_Blood? Why do I taste blood?'_ She wondered.

She couldn't shrug the goose bumps that wrought her skin; she had that feeling that someone was watching her.

She picked up on the sound of footsteps, creaking along wooden floorboards, a heavy shuffle that pierced her brain with the sound.

' _Ouch, could you not be so damn loud...'_

The shuffling stopped right by her head, the voices followed.

" It is working, Master will be pleased..." The heavy throng of the voice echoed inside her head, she did not recognise the voice.

'_That was not one of our handmaidens..._'

She could feel the heavy breath of the person, hovering above her face, she tried to wince away from the foul odour but found she couldn't move as she did pain wracked her form, sending another wave of hell through her mind.

" Kanna, keep an eye on her and inform me if the changes become more prominent... also make sure she has enough 'Jewel' to numb the pain..."

The voice spoke above her, panic began to set in as she could feel the touch of the rough hands on her skin, adjusting something in her arm, but no pain accompanied the touch, and with the heavy breathing of the person above her, she drifted into a numbing sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Naraku Onigumo sat at his breakfast table with his father; their usual morning feast was laid out before them.

Nursing the cup of coffee he had in his hands, his father looked down through his reading glasses at the paper.

Naraku eyed the front page of the newspaper that was all he could see of his father as he sat on the other side of the room.

Another Break in the 'Jewel' crackdown, it read. Naraku swallowed the lump forming in his throat, how was he going to pull this off without any interference...

The silence was broken by his father's voice from behind the paper.

"Raku, you have not touched your food... did you not enjoy the festivities of last night at the Tashio estate?"

" Yes I did enjoy the festivities rather well Father, I just have a lot on my mind this morning..." He drifted off, eyeing his bacon and eggs again.

" Well then Son, would you be accompanying me to my 'business meeting' this morning? We have outstanding business with the Tiger that needs to be take care of before I have to make the appearance at the high court this morning."

" Yes Father, I shall, we need to discuss with him the last shipment of the drug before the legislation learns of our new location."

" Yes... we do." His father dropped the newspaper to look his son in the eye.

" What is troubling you my boy, you seem different today..." His father eyes him through his reading glasses as he took a sip of his own coffee.

" It is nothing I cannot handle, Father."

" Well then, you do not have anything to do with the Higurashi kidnapping do you son?" His father asked, a hit of humour in his voice.

" No of course not Father, not with the prophecy so close at hand..." He answered back with his own voice laced with humour, a sadistic smile turning up the corners of his lips. His father mimicking the smile. The two shared a secretive laugh together, offering the large dining hall the doom that followed the laughter of the Northern Lord and his son.

"Go find your sister and make sure our 'guest' is comfortable for transportation and meet me in the limo." His father ordered before he left the dining hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Naraku closed the large door behind him, he reached in his jacket pocket for his iPhone, walking towards his quarters, he dialled the number.

" Yes, master?" was his greeting.

" Kagura, I trust you have accomplished what I asked of you?" his voice soft and threatening, carrying with it the promised doom had she of failed.

She hesitated in her answering of him.

"Yes, Master I have dispatched the witch to the underworld..."

" Very good my Pet, have you cleaned up the mess and burned the remnants of the spell we have used?"

Another paused hesitation.

" Kagura?"

" Yes sir I have disposed of Tsubaki's body, however, the florescent traces of the spell are still visible and the copy of the incantation to engage the transformation would not burn..." She trailed off.

"Very well my Pet, you did your best, I shall take care of the incantation..." Frustration laced his voice, with that he put down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha had tried with all his canine might to track down the sent that accompanied his best friend. It was a mixture of body odour, metal and soil. He followed it to one of the allies that surrounded the club to where there was obviously a large van parked there as the skid marks from the tyres lead him to believe the opted for a quick getaway. Here he found another scent, a mixture of sex and dark leather. He recognised the scent but couldn't remember where from.

After a couple of hours of repeating the same path over and over again outside the club to make sure the hanyou had not missed anything, he now was sitting on the curb, his head in his hands and sorrow surrounding his aura. This was how his brother found him.

Climbing out of his silver Maserati convertible, the older Tashio adjusted his suit jacket as he made his was over to his brother.

" Whelp" He addressed him. " You stink..."

" Thank you captain obvious, forgive me for looking for mate in the early hours of the bloody morning, I have not had the time to bathe my lowly self before your arrival" The hanyou answered, irritation at the entire situation evident in his voice.

The older Tashio raised an eyebrow at the use of the word 'mate'.

'_Since when has the half-breed referred to the Higurashi girl as 'mate'?'_

"I was unaware that you were betrothed, brother, when did you decide this foolish act? Last night in your drunken stupor perhaps?"

Inuyasha blanched at his brother's question, the Freudian slip not even registering.

" What? Kagome and I are not betrothed? She is my best friend asshole, if I were to mate her I would seek out fathers permission first numb nuts, what have you been smoking this morning?"

"You addressed the girl as mate, I was merely curious... irrelevantly so."

The look of suspicion was echoed across the younger Tashio's face as he gazed up to his older brother.

'_Did I really call Kagome my MATE? Wow, maybe I do want to take her as my mate? I don't know, I need to find her and fast so I can ask her what all this shit is about.'_

Another look of irritation flittered across the Hanyou's face at his thoughts.

" I had Jaken dispatch Toran to look into the man you described this morning to me', the Western Prince began, " He works for Naraku's underground group called the Miasma, they deal in the production and distribution of the narcotic the 'Jewel'."

At the mention of the Northern Lord's son's name, the hanyou shot onto his feet.

" What the fuck do they want with Kagome?"

" From what Toran has been told by her spy, Yura of the Hair, she has gone undercover and joined Miasma ,she has found out that they are closing a deal of the sale of 2 billion American dollars of the pure narcotic to the Chinese Tiger, Bai Chung Li and have rumoured a consolation prise in the midst of the sale..."

" Kagome..."

" Indeed, they meet at Queen's Warf at noon."

A sadistic smile crept onto the hanyou's face.

" Let's go, we have a party to crash..." The hanyou stated, cracking his knuckles, the first bit of good news he has had all day.

"Not before you bathe..." Was his brother's response.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" Toran, how can you keep something like that from me? You know that I am working the case as well?" Hiten Katsuma asked into his cell phone as he sipped his coffee and juggled the phone and the jelly doughnut in his other hand.

" You do not employ me, Lightening Youkai, the mere fact that I am gracing you with this knowledge is enough... have your squadron of muscle ready at the Queen's Warf at noon and wait for my call..." With that, the phone line went dead.

The Lightening Youkai took another bite of his doughnut.

'_Damn I bet she is one sexy cat...'_

Flipping his phone open again, he dialled his brother.

" Bro, got the location, have the squad ready to move out... its boogy time..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Warf was abuzz with the sound of Mandarin, orders being barked at many a worker in the effort to get the giant oil rig ready to set sail to China.

One man in particular stood out among the rest, he was a panda Youkai, evident by his black and white hair that shot off in many different directions, his pupils a dark azure. He was build for labour, tall and lumpy, full of muscle, yet pigeon toed that was quite contradictory to his gigantic size. He barked a few more orders at his crew, and then turned when he was addressed in formal Japanese.

" Konichiwa Quin-san, it has been a long time..."

" Yes it has been Naraku..." the Panda trailed off.

" I see everything is in order for the exchange?" Questioned the spider hanyou.

" Indeed, Lord Chung is finalising the deal with your father as we speak..."

" The consolation is in the back of the van, ready for deportation whenever you are ready... I shall be in touch for the reclaiming of my prize later." The Spider hanyou gestured towards the van that had the knocked out Kagome in the back.

The Panda nodded his giant head in acknowledgement. While he was quite a large Youkai, he was more cunning that his boss, Lord Bai Ching Li, gave him credit for. He has personally seen to the shipment of the pure 'Jewel' back to China, and he had also agreed to help the Spider reclaim the Higurashi girl back right from under his bosses nose at the promise of land and the freedom from Chinese Tiger as a reward by the Northern Lords son, he had agreed almost immediately. He did not question as to the importance of the kidnapped girl, nor the Northern Lords son's interest in the girl either. At the promise of freedom from the Chinese war Lord, he agreed immediately.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Tashio brothers made their way onto the Warf, Inuyasha cleaned and changed. The older Tashio had suppressed their auras so as not to be detected; they hid behind the containers that offered them a good view of the oil rig that was being packed.

" There they are, those plastic crates must be the 'Jewel' they are shipping" Inuyasha gestured to the giant crates that were being lifted onto the ship with the huge crane.

"I cannot smell Kagome, can you sense her?" He whispered to his brother behind him.

" Hnn" was his response.

" Ok shitbrick, how are we going to do this without getting caught?" He shot his brother, who was eyeing out the scene.

Inuyasha too looked back at the oil rig, trying to find out what his brother was looking at.

"Do not get my way..."he warned before he disappeared from behind his brother.

" Fucking stupid asshole, I'll do it myself!" With that the hanyou made his way over to the entrance of the rig, careful to keep behind the crates of narcotics as to not be seen. Suddenly there was an explosion; two of the crates went up in smoke offering the Chinese workers their own miniature fireworks display. Then another two of the crates went up in flames.

" Sesshoumaru..." They Hanyou stated from his hiding place, " Ok Kagome, where are you..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cries of panic and alarm filled the air, Naraku and the Panda rushed over to the damaged drugs to see what had taken place, a few of the workers busying themselves with putting out the fires and assessing the damage to their cargo.

" What the Fuck happened?" raged Naraku at one of the workers, picking up the closest Youkai by the scruff off his neck.

" We don't know Sir?" He answered.

"RAaaaaah, Father will be furious at his cargo being damaged!" The Spider fumed as he flung the Youkai against the side of the ship's wall, effectively shattering his neck as he did so.

" Quin! Where the fuck are you?" he stormed off towards the other crate. He found the panda crouched over the burning crate. His nose inches above the green hole in the floor.

" Do you smell that?"

"Yes Naraku, donkasu..."

"Sesshoumaru... alert the others, Tashio is here..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'_They took the diversion, now for the whelp's girl...'_

The Taiyoukai Prince used his Youkai speed to reach the crates on the other side of the ship, careful as to not let his aura seep out. He moved with practised grace as he reached the other side, then quickly, he let out some of his poison, it formed at the tips of his claws causing his hands to glow a deathly green, he then shoved his hand into the plastic crate, the narcotic encased within was in its pure state and was highly flammable as it was gunpowder based, this was his tool as the gunpowder caught alight and shot the crate into the sky with the explosion. He then did the same thing to a nearby crate, offering a diversion for the workers to worry about as he made his way towards the other side of the cargo bay.

He could feel the girl's energy signature, although it was faint, it was laced with something he could not quite put his finger on, there was a shifting of power within her, a fighting for dominance and this oozed into her aura. He singled out the van she was in, and made his way over, knocking out the guards with his acid whip, he flung the metal black doors open to find Kagome, still dressed in the ruins of her cocktail dress, her skin pale and clammy and seemed to glow with a bluish light. She was laid on top of a few old worker blankets, an IV drip connected to her arm with a florescent orange substance pumping into her blood system. With little time to study what they were drugging her with, he began manoeuvring her for an easy get away.

Just then, the younger Tashio crept into the back of the van.

" Thanks for waiting for me ice prick..."

His clothes covered in blood, he eyed Kagome's form.

" Holy Fuck, what's that they got pumping into her?" He gestured towards the IV " It smells horrid..."

"Silence whelp, we need to get her out of here before they return..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the other side of Tokyo, inside the Higurashi household, the bound book that was given to Kagome for her birthday glowed a deep purple, the sun clasp clicking into place as the book opened, it moved as if a pair on invisible hands were operating the mechanism.

The pages were blown open by an invisible wind, and then once it has landed on a particular page, writing began to appear on the top left page, an invisible hand inscribing the ancient Kanji. As the hand wrote, there was no one in the room to witness the miracle of the gifted book. It wrote...

'**Not many people believe in love at first sight, and I must confess I have never contemplated the idea enough to render it stupid or totally believable, but now, on the brink of waking, I felt what I can only describe as a deep fluttering in my belly as my eyes peeled open and all I could make out as the blurriness of sleep left my mind and the fringes of my subconscious receded to the back of my psyche where the deep golden pools of utter mystery. These orbs of sunshine that peered down at me where the last thing I remember before everything faded to black.'**

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

END

**Ningen~ Human**

**Onna~Female, Girl**

**Konichwa~Formal Hello**

**Donkasu~ Sesshoumaru's green poison attack**


	6. Chapter 5: Secret of the Manuscript

'**Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.'~Harriet Tubman**

**Standard Disclaimer applies**

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits**

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 5:

The Secret of the Manuscript

**Modern Day:**

Kagome Higurashi felt like she had been hit by a bus and now is a very good rendition of pavement pizza.

'_Maybe I should put that as my status on Facebook..._' She thought. A groan escaped her parched lips again for the second time of her waking.

'_If this is what I am going to feel like every time I drink, then I swear I will never touch alcohol again!_'

Not having the floating sensation anymore, Kagome decided to try and explore the workings of her other senses... again. She willed her eyes to open, but again it felt like someone had shoved two lead bricks underneath her eyelids making them way to heavy to lift. The second thing that came to her, was the lack of throbbing at the base of her neck, it was numb, and achy but not sore. She then noticed her hearing, everything seemed magnified, she could hear her own heart beat, smooth and steady, she could even sense the bloody pulsing through her body. There was someone sitting next to her, she could sense their presence, feel their aura as it where, like a energy that pulsed with the beating of their own heart beat, and it touched hers. Coupled with this is the heavy breathing she could hear, like the person was lying right next to her ear and breathing into it, the only thing that was missing was the breath over her skin. She could also hear the song of birds, chirping, through a window. And the gentle buzzing of what she could only assume was bees or flies buzzing over her head, and damn were they load.

Another groan escaped her lips as her headache reached a new level with the rise in volume, she willed her muscles to work as she brought a hand up to cover her face, and rub her now very itchy eyes. Her hand felt sluggish, heavier than she remembered, as her skin made contact with her face, it tingled, as if it were alive with power, she tried to rub her eyes, when the strong scent of metallic salt hit her now suddenly sensitive nose, she grimaced at the strong smell and tried to bite back the gagging reflex she felt constrict her throat. Then she peeled her eyes open, and was assaulted with the blinding light of day that shone through her closed curtains?

'_Wait, what? My curtains are black, why is there light coming through them?'_

She squinted towards the light, a blurry mix of sunlight filtered through what she could surmise was the window, she then turned her head towards the person sitting next to her, a woman she guessed, from the short brown hair, and the blurry shape, she could not make out the facial features, suppressing a groan as the smell of the individual assaulted her nose, jasmine and shortbread cookies, this was her mother she realised.

"Mom?" She croaked out, suddenly aware that she sounded drunk; the use of her mouth foreign to her from lack of use, she ran her tongue around her teeth eager to spread saliva across her parched mouth. She then had the metallic taste and smell of blood in her mouth and this time she could not suppress the gag as she swallowed the blood, having the pain of the small nick on her tongue throb from her slicing them on her new, very sharp teeth.

'_Fangs? Since when do I have fangs?_'

"Kagome?" the watery sob came from the person in the room. The person now hovering over her.

"Yesh Mom, itsh me, can you not talks so louds pleesh, it hurts..."

Kagome slurred, trying to lift a clawed hand up to her fore head.

'_Ok, this is really creepy? What the hell happened? What do I have fangs AND claws?_?'

Panic began to rise from her stomach into her throat at her senses adjusted and she tried to take in all of the new smells, sights and sounds.

She reached for the vanity mirror that was kept at the side of her bed, and in a moment of sheer hesitation, she turned the reflective surface to face her and gasped at the face that peered back.

Her crystal blue eyes were swimming with emotion as she took in her features. The angle of her eyes had changed, offering a more slanted appearance, enhanced by the magenta swirls on either sides of her temples, her cheek bones were more refined and her skin was a paler shade that seemed to glow in the afternoon sun, she took in the red bags under her eyes and the pointed appearance of each ear, tucking a stray strand of glossy hair behind the pointed appendages. She then brought her trembling hand up to her mouth, and gently pushed back her plump top lip, revealing to the mirror the small set of white incisor teeth that were larger than normal.

A lone tear leaked out of the corner of her puffy eyes.

'_What have I become?'_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha put the borrowed SUV into park in his father's driveway; he lent his head on the steering wheel and sighed as he closed his eyes. Pushing through the developing headache and exhaustion that he was sure was going to catch-up to him soon.

'_Man, I really need to change jobs 'Kagome-sitting ain't my thing... and its bloody dangerous... full bloody work out every time...'_

He smiled at his thoughts. He took five minutes to just recap on the past nights events and get his facts into line before.

They had managed to find Kagome's whereabouts, then his good for nothing brother had beaten him to the punch again in creating a diversion for all the Chinese workers on the oil rig loading the narcotics, or what he assumed where masses of the narcotic that Sesshoumaru had mentioned earlier.

Once the diversion was set be began seeking out Kagome through her sent, but couldn't find her, eventually he found what 'was' Kagome in the back of a van parked just inside the oil rig's entrance. He smelt his brother in the van, beating him again to locating his best friend.

'_This is becoming quite a bad habit of his... asshole'_ He remembers thinking at the time, and grumbling about how he owes the douche bag now for helping rescue Kagome. He then approached the van and tired again to catch a whiff of Kagome's sent, but all he could smell was a toxic concoction of something that smelled like adhesive remover and dishwashing liquid. He then set eyes on his best friend and was scared shit less at her demur. She was deathly pale, with her cocktail dress all grubby and torn in places that left a little too much revealing to his liking, he also took note of her face, how swollen it was, and how swollen her joints and certain places along her legs were. Her skin was patchy in places, and to make matters worse, there was a florescent orange looking gloop that they were feeding into her blood through the IV drip connected to her left arm, he realised that that was where the smell was coming from.

He visibly flinched at the potency of the smell as he got nearer to her. Sesshoumaru leaned over her and tried to pick her up. She moved then, a groan escaped her broken and cracked lips, and peeking through her swollen appendages were what Sesshoumaru guised as small fangs, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at the new found knowledge and realisation set in.

Inuyasha was shocked out of his trance when she groaned; he moved over to her other side and saw the small fangs as well.

" What the Fuck?" He ended up almost yelling.

" Quiet Half-breed, we need to get her out of here and cool her body temperature down as its peaking with her transformation."

"Transformation? What transformation?" Inuyasha asked, his hanyou ears now flat on his head, images and memories of excruciating pain and anguish filled him as he remembered his transformation from Half Youkai, to full human on the night of the new moon.

" They have pumped some kind of concoction into her blood that transforms her from Ningen to Youkai..."

"...Fuck." Was all the Hanyou said as he took in the information his brother offered.

"Indeed..."

Inuyasha then leaned over his best friend and put his hand on her head, he could feel and almost see the heat her body radiated, she had a very high fever. As he put his hand on her forehead, another groan escaped the transforming girl and she opened her blue eyes for just a second, their eyes met. Her dilated pupils and glassy look offered the Inu brothers insight into her state; she smiled at him then and whispered a name.

"Shiro-sama..."

His heart broke at the sound of her voice and he offered her his very first apology.

" Kagome... I'm so so sorry..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha beat his head against the steering wheel, the hooter going off once breaking the silence of the front gardens.

He remembered saying those very words over and over and over again, once they had moved Kagome out of the van, they had brought her back to Sesshoumaru's car and debated about taking her to the hospital, but Sesshoumaru had insisted on her return to their parents' estate where the Higurashi's were as she would be attended to by their fathers physicians who specialise in Youkai healing. This shut the Hanyou up. The car ride home was spent in agonising silence after Sesshoumaru had called their father and informed him on the situation and the secured location of Kagome. He assumed the Kagome's parents would soon find out about it and he would be doomed.

They were greeted by a very distraught Kei and Hana Higurashi, Kei threatened to de-ball the Hanyou with a spoon for not looking after their daughter as they took her inside. Inuyasha gulped, knowing full well what the human male was capable of and at the death glare from him that followed, Inuyasha was sure that if Kei had any kind of powers, he would now be a puddle of bubbling puke on the floor.

He whispered again and again how very sorry he was, his apologies fell on deaf ears as they ushered a now unconscious and seizure wracked Kagome inside, the hanyou forgotten outside.

Then his mobile rang, the sound ACDC's _Thunderstruck _tune carrying out into the afternoon air.

He answered the phone.

" Hi... Dad...Ok 5 Minutes, Yes Sir." His ears flat on his head, he offered the now empty entrance hall a quiet whimper as he made for one of his dad's SUV's that were parked in the nearby garage and began the drive over to his doom.

He now sat in the car, trying to put himself together enough for his audience with his father, brought on no doubt, by his older brother.

He smacked his head once more on the steering wheel of the car and cried out in pain at the offending piece of round metal that left a small dent in the hanyou's head.

" Stupid stupid SUV not suppose to fight back..."

He sighed again in defeat, then got out of the car and made his way into his father's estate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The big mahogany doors to Yasashii Tashio's study cracked open, the older Tashio male was on the phone to his eldest, the two already piecing together what the Spider had planned with the Higurashi Heir. He turned from his position facing the huge bay windows that overlooked his winter gardens from behind his desk to the sound of the wooden doors creaking open.

Inuyasha very gently made his way through the small opening in the study and on light feet came to stand before his father, his ears flat on his head, his eyes downcast, his hands folded in front of him, trying not to shake. Yasashii was reminded of when he was a little pup and he had summoned him for something he had done and he was going to reprimand the young boy for his bad behaviour. A twinge of guilt shot up the eldest Tashio's heart strings.

He ended his conversation on the phone and addressed his youngest son.

" Inuyasha..." He said, the boy looked up at his father and as he did a lone tear ran down the hanyou's cheek.

" I am so, so sorry father..." The Hanyou began in the smallest voice, trying not to let his emotions through in his speech.

His father's heart string broke; he walked over to his son and rather awkwardly hugged him.

"Do not fear, my son, she will live..."

The hanyou was struggling with his emotions, anger, guilt, sadness, worry. He lent into his father, taking comfort in the familiar scent.

Yasashii moved back from his son, and made to sit in his chair, Inuyasha followed his father's example, his emotions now in check.

" I have arranged for the Miko Kaede to tend to Kagome's... afflictions. She will be able to offer more information on her... change, when Kagome is stable. For now, we have gathered that they have used the "Jewel' narcotic as a binding agent for a powerful transformation potion that has been used on Kagome. She should be fine, once the transformation is complete..." He trailed off, gauging his son's reactions to the new information.

" Is... Is the transformation reversible?" the hanyou asked

" As far as I know perhaps, if we can get hold of the original ingredients of the potion then perhaps we can find the cure. I have all my sources working on it now, son." He folded his hands in his lap.

"Your brother was lucky enough to find out her location..." Yasashii stated absentmindedly.

"Yeah... I owe the ass prick now..." He stated, frustration seeping into his voice.

His mind running circles around his brain relaying the knowledge his father has just provided him, something odd stuck out amongst all the flurry of activity that had had happened in the last night. When he was hovering over Kagome in the van and their eyes had met for a second, recognition had flashed in her blue orbs for a second, and he was sure that she had known he was there, but then she whispered a name... that name... Setsuna Shiro... who the hell was that? He questioned his father.

"Dad, do you know a Shiro-sama?"

His father's face contorted in contemplation, the name sounding familiar, then he paled at the recognition.

"That was my great, great grand sire pup, Setsuna Shiro he lived millennia ago, the founder of the Tashio name... Why do you ask?"

Confusion and contemplation washed over the hanyou.

" Oh, no reason, when we were in the van, Kagome had whispered the name when she saw me that all, but it must be because of the drugs in her system..." The hanyou trailed off.

"Yes... perhaps..." His father answered, deep in contemplation, he locked that information away in the confines of his mind for later inquiry, as he was sure there was no coincidence in her whispering that name.

'_How would the young Higurashi heir know of my Father's, Father's sire... there is more to the mystery of Kagome Higurashi...'_

Inuyasha made to stand along with his father. Yasashii reached for the phone again and Inuyasha took that as his cue to leave, he paused at the giant doors again and inquired over his shoulder to his father.

" Who...?"

" Naraku..." was his father's reply.

Determination and death flashed in the hanyou's eye before he exited the doors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome had gotten over her panic attack at the explanation of her transformation and the drug induced coma she had been put into for the better half of 24 hours. She was also informed of her spontaneous rescue by the Tashio brothers and the worry and panic she had caused with her disappearance.

Stable, and sitting up in her bed, and somewhat in denial, Kagome, turned her newly formed claws over and over in front of her, using her now sharpened eyesight, she took in her changed features, well the ones she could see from the confines of her bed. She was aware that she had sharper hearing, fangs, sharper vision claws, shaper sense of smell and a very sore head, Kaede has explained to her that she was still transforming, and will be developing more and more over the next few weeks, where they will then be able to tell what kind of Youkai she was transforming into. Kaede had given her something for the pain, and had explained her mental change that was also going to happen, but in no small amount of way was Kagome ready for any of this.

Saddened by her luck, she allowed herself some time to grieve for the loss of her human self.

'_How could this happen? I was only supposed to turn 21 not into a completely different creature! How am I going to cope being a Youkai? Will my friends still accept me? What will they think! I'm going to be hideous with a horn on my head and scales and lumps all over my body..._'

A small sob escaped her as her shoulders shook up and down and the tears poured down her face. She was distraught by her circumstances. Having a quiet wail was definitely allowed, she told herself.

'_Dammit I think I have earned the right for a good cry...'_ She thought as her breath began to even our and her tears dried.

She stared for a long time at her hands. Then somewhere in the back of her mind, her conscience spoke to her.

'_Come on Kagome... it's not that bad, well ok maybe it is... but you are still alive and you have your parents and Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru saved you... and... and well you have powers now?'_

'_And mom is pregnant...'_

'_And mom in pregnant? Wait WHAT?'_

Her eyes budged at the new found knowledge, '_How did I know that?_' She asked herself. Excitement taking over her, she leapt from her bed and stood on shaky legs, looking down at her feet, she found her legs covered in purple like patterns of swirls and twirls, going all the way along the outside of her calves, beginning just above her ankles up all the way, she was sure beyond her upper thighs.

'_What the...?_' her mind questioned to the now light and dark patches of colourful patterns covering her legs.

'_Kinda looks like someone went ape shit on my legs with a bad botch of paint and a paint brush..._'

She bent down slowly and ran a clawed finger over one of the more prominent strokes near her thy, this sent a shiver down her spine and she immediately flinched from the contact.

'_Ouch, overly sensitive much?_ _I wonder what I'm going to look like when all of this is done...Some really bad version of hand painting that a 5 year old did that people pass off as modern art?'_ Sighing at her thoughts, Kagome looked up to see her mother walking into her room, followed by Kaede carrying a tray.

"Kagome! You should not be out of bed!" Her mother's reprimand carried across the room. Immediately, Kagome's hands flew to cover her pointy ears.

'_Stupid pointy ear,s I'm going to look like a smurf crossed with something from Lord of the Rings'_

" Not so loud Mom!"

" Sorry honey, still getting use to it.." Hana said, crossing the room. Kaede offered a silent giggle to the conversation, amusement flashing in her good eye.

"Inuyasha is here to see you sweetheart, do you want him to come up?" Hana offered on her way over to her daughter.

The thought of her best friends company stirred mixed feelings within the young girl. Happy at the thought of seeing her best friend and weary of his reaction to her change, she shrank back into her covers like a young child at the thought of his possible rejection.

"Unn, no thanks... can you tell him that Im sorry but I'm not up to seeing anyone... yet."

"Sure sweetie..." Her mother said coming to her side, Kaede had automatically disappeared from her place at the door to inform the hanyou of the bad news.

As her mother approached her again, Kagome's nose was assaulted with the smell of shortbread cookies and something she can only describe as sick? This followed by what she would assume as Kaede's scent which was a mixture of a pharmaceutical store and a strong undercurrent of lavender.

This reminded Kagome of her perception on her mother's state of well being.

" Mom are you sick?" She asked.

Rather taken aback by the odd question, her mother replied.

"Umm, not that I know dearest, I felt nauseous this morning, and my boobs have been a bit more tingly than normal, but nothing out of the ordinary. Why do you ask?"

Confusion written across Kagome's face, she spoke her thoughts out loud.

"Well, you smell like shortbread, which I would assume that you always smell like that, it's comforting, but there's an underlying scent there, something developing... I think you are pregnant?"

Her mother paled at the response, realisation dawning on her.

" You know, I think I am late?" she replied, her hand automatically going to her stomach.

Kaede, back from her errand, chose that moment to interrupt their bonding, "I believe you may be right Kagome, there has been a flux in your aura Hana." The old Miko gestured towards her surrounding energy fields as she offered her opinion.

" How? How?" Her mother gasped at the realisation, she sat next to Kagome on the bed, her hand still on her stomach and the other on her head.

"Haha" The old Miko chuckled, " Do not fear, it shall al come to pass as the Kami's see to grant it... It os good to see you are figuring out your new senses Kagome, here, drink the tea have brought you, it will make you feel much better." Kaede offered her a cup of the brew from the tray.

Kagome took the cup form her, excitement dazzling her eyes, and her mind racing with all the possibilities of being an older sibling as she took a sip only to end up spitting it back into the cup.

" Yuck, what kind of concoction is this?" She questioned the now laughing Miko again

" Never mind what is in it, drink, it is good for you."

Distracted by her daughters distress, Hana offered to hold her daughters nose while she downed the foul drink.

Once she was done, Kagome lay back down at the command from her mother and the old Miko, who Kagome was convinced, was senile.

As her mother was tucking her covers around her, like she was a child again, Kagome asked. " Do you think I will get a brother or a sister?"

A smile of acceptance and hope flashed across Hana's face at the excitement her daughter showed.

" I don't know sweetie, we shall have to see..." Was her strange reply. "Now, get some rest, we will come and check up on you again soon..." Both the mother and Kaede made their way to the door. Before they exited the room, Kagome called to her mother again.

Distracted by the new information of her possibly becoming a sibling, Kagome saw this as a positive spin on her current situation.

" Mom, can you please pass me my Manuscript that you and Dad gave me, I think I should start a Journal, you know, keep track of my... changes."

Her mother smiled " Kagome, ever the optimist... Sure..." Her mother handed her the book and a pen, then disappeared through the door, following Kaede, leaving Kagome in her own thoughts.

After her mother and the old duck had disappeared from view, Kagome waited another minuet for their foot falls to disappear from her sensitive ears, she then proper herself up a bit more on her bed and looked down at the ancient book again. She ran her hand over the leather binding and over the sun clasp. Her hands tingled a little at the contact, recognition teased the back of her mind again, but she was not able to grasp onto the thought, so instead, she undid the clasp and opened the book with a groan from the leather. She flipped the first page that had her full name written in ancient Kanji on it and flipped passed the first couple of pages with the ancient writing to where the writing ended. What she did think was odd though, was the penmanship for the last bit of writing was totally different to the couple of pages written before.

She shrugged off the thought and picked up the pen, tapping the pen on her lip a couple of times as to get her creative juices flowing, she then began to write.

_**To whomever reads this... My name is Kagome Tomiko Higurashi, and this is my story. To date, I have had my 21**__**st**__** Birthday and have been accepted into adult society as women of the Higurashi line. I have been kidnapped and transformed against my will into some kind of Youkai and now await my fate...**_

As she wrote the words, they seemed to sink into the page, glowing a slight blueish hue then transforming into the ancient Kanji that were on the previous pages of the book. Kagome lifted the pen and stared at the book in astonishment.

'_Woah, I didn't know it could do that...This is too wierd, and kinda cool?'_

She brought the pen back to the paper again, but hesitated.

'_What do I say now?...'_

The pen finding its way back to her mouth, this time, the tip was lodged between her lips as she struggled to think of how she should phrase her next sentence.

To her utter bewilderment again, the blue hue rose from the ancient pages again and in its place was words, like an invisible hand had written them while Kagome was staring at the book..

Kagome broke the tip of the pen off in her mouth fro, her surprise, ink flowed from the broken utensil into her mouth and down her chin, dripping onto the manuscript page, Kagome threw the utensil to one side and grabbed the towel that was put next to her bed for her fever and mopped up as best she could the ink that was on her face and in her mouth.

Once she had cleaned herself up a bit, she looked back at the page, doing another double take at the new writing that had emerged; she ran her hand over the parchment, trying to feel for anything.

'_Now how the hell do you explain that?'_ Baffled by this turn of events, Kagome got out of bed, eager to find a new pen, and on shaky legs made her way over to her vanity, where she opened the top drawer and found another pen to use, she turned to return to bed and her book. Back in her propped up position, Kagome once again tried to respond the Kanji.

_**Hi? I cannot understand the ancient Kanji**_

Her eyebrows drew together in thought and she made to scribble out what she just wrote, only to have the words disappear into the parchment like last time, blue light flashing vaguely from the open page.

'_Balls, they are going to think I'm some dumbass with a response like that...'_

Within seconds the blue light flashed again and a new set of Kanji appeared underneath Kagomes'. Still not understanding the Kanji, Kagome tried to break up the old fashioned characters as to try and make some sense of the words on the page, as her grandfather had taught her, all modern day words are derived from the ancient Kanji, just a more simplified version of.

After a few moments of hard thinking and reliving her history classes, Kagome managed to piece together some kind of interpretation. The response read something about, 'reading' and 'mind' she guessed. So in response she wrote, _**Help?**_

Suddenly the magic of the book took hold again, Kagome experienced a blinding flash off blue light, it blinded her with its brilliance and left her seeing dark spots once the light died down, Kagome then put the pen down and rubber her now rimmed red eyes.

'_Ouch, that hurt, stupid book, should warn someone when you are going to do something magical like that again...'_

A frown marring her features, Kagome picked up the book again and glanced over the Kanji, her eyes bulged at the writing across the page, she could read it.

'_wowee now that was some strong voodoo shit..._'

She traced the conversation back to where she had first begun and read:

_**To whomever reads this... My name is Kagome Tomiko Higurashi, and this is my story. To date, I have had my 21**__**st**__** Birthday and have been accepted into adult society as women of the Higurashi line. I have been kidnapped and transformed against my will into some kind of Youkai and now await my fate...**_

_**Finally we meet Kagome of the Bow.**_

_**Hi? I cannot understand the ancient Kanji.**_

_**That is because you are not reading it with your heart, open your mind!**_

_**Help?**_

Kagome laughed once she had finished reading the words, astonishment pasted across her face as the blue light flashed once again, revealing more words, Kagome eagerly read what was written.

_**Can you understand now?**_

Picking up her pen, Kagome replied to the book.

_**Yes I can, thank you. What did you do to me?**_

Kagome didn't wait long for the reply.

_**I simply helped open you mind. It's about time you and I spoke, my other self. **_

The page took on a constant bluish hue as the conversation between Kagome and the book took place and the ancient Kanji seeped into the page.

_**Other self?**_

_**Yes, I am you, you are me... we are one and the same, Kagome.**_

_**I'm sorry I don't quite understand...**_

_**You are my reincarnation Kagome... Do not panic, your understanding will come to you...**_

_**Oh?**_

_**Yes.**_

_**Ummm but how can you be in the book, talking to me? Are you trapped?**_

_**I am not trapped, Kagome, a part of my soul was put here for you, for this day, and to show you what once was.**_

_**To show me what? **_

_**My story...**_

_**Oh and umm, who are you?**_

_**My name is Megumi and this is my story...**_

The page seemed to glow again and unnatural blue light, Kagome, still baffled by all the new information waited for the blue light to vanish, however, it didn't, and instead of the Kanji seeping into the page, it was as if Kagome's very soul itself was pulled into the book and dissolved by the pages as she saw past the blue light and began reading Megumi's story.

**Ancient Japan:**

It was a cold morning, just before dawn, a cool mist blanketed the valley in a layer of suspended tranquillity. She stood above the valley on one of the hillocks that overlooked the previous day's battlefield. She expected to see the bloodshed and mayhem of broken, mutilated bodies littering the field, their souls long departed for another plane, yet all she could make out was the sublime power of nature as she gazed out over the valley, the sky warming with a bluish pink hue that promised the rising of the sun in the following moments. A sigh escaped her, her breath forming smoke in the cold morning air. She closed her eyes and cast her head down, offering a silent prayer for the warrior that lost her life yesterday, her mother, the great Midoriko. She had given her life for this Earth, combining Human and Youkai alike in the only way she knew of to save the world and end the bloodshed. She gave her life, knowing that she would not die, nor live, her form would forever be suspended in the moment following her decision to form the Jewel, the Shikon No Tama. She knew that she would be leaving behind her love, the man that kept her heart, her Youkai lover, and her child, a Hanyou, comprised of Miko and Youkai power, she would be the keeper, the Jewel's protector... Megumi, her blessing.

It was that night that Megumi, young of heart and innocent of age had snuck out of her father's ancestral home, using her powers to suppress her aura so as to not alert her nanny and keepers to her absence. She had followed her mother's signature power and her father's Youki onto the battlefield; she had witnessed her father's demise at the hands of the powerful Youkai that led the other half of the war, his last attempt at defending and protecting her dear mother. Megumi had witnessed the show of power and the blinding light that had shone for a minute from the cave where her mother met her frozen death, and it was here, that the burden of her destiny would be laid before her. As she entered the cave on tiny feet, tears running down her cheeks at the confirmation of her worst fear, she found her mother, encased in stone, the pain filled expression on her face as she made her decision, the swirling of Youkai that surrounded her human form. It was where her heart should have been that the glow of the pure Shikon No Tama blinked at the young hanyou, beckoning her hands, eager for her touch.

She reached for the Jewel in her mother's chest and ran, her guilt and pain pushing her forward, she ran, until her tiny lungs burned from use. She came to a stop on the hillock, heaving for much needed air. She then cried, her heart broke with the understanding of her father and mother's death, her heart broke for her own situation, and the pain overwhelmed her at the new path she walked... alone.

It was hours of crying until her tears dried up, she grasped the jewel in her tiny hand, and closing her eyes, casting her head down, she said a silent prayer.

'_Kami of the heavens, watch over my mother, keep her safe in the comfort of your arms, watch over my father, and bring him unto your heavenly kingdom... Watch over me and guide me along this path so that I make good on my mother's decision...'_

With determination in her eyes, she descended the hill, ready to meet her destiny head on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Returning to her own body, Kagome could feel the pull of magic on her soul lessen, she slowly drifted back into her form and woke, her head ached from the magical ride and tears filled her eyes as she took in what she had just read.

'_How sad, I had no idea the stories about the great Midoriko were true, and the Shikon, No Tama..._'

Her mind buzzing with unanswered questions, she picked up her pen and tried to write something on the page.

_**Migumi? I had no Idea what happened? What does this all mean? Where is the Shikon No Tama now? Is that your mother's heart? What happened to you?**_

The page took on its blue glow as the words sank into the parchment. Kagome waited for the reply for what seemed to be years, and then it came.

_**Calm yourself child, all shall be reviled in time. This is just the beginning of my story. Rest, you shall need it for what is to come. You shall be visited by a special being, she will help answer your questions... bewares the red eyed spider Kagome...**_

Kagome waited for more, but the page did not shine with blue magic.

_**Megumi? **_She wrote, but the page remained blank.

She waited a while longer, but nothing, the magic of the book had faded, for now.

In frustration, she slammed the book shut, the sun claps setting back into place, she threw the book onto the floor and flopped back on her bed.

'_Stuuuupiiid book, all it did was leave me with more questions and answers. Who is Megumi? How did she protect the Shikon No Tama? When did this all take place? Why is she showing me all this? Am I really her reincarnation? ARRG Stupid Kanji and STUUUPPPIIID reincarnation book! Why do people around me like speaking in damn riddles! Now... I have a headache...'_

With an exasperated sigh, she rolled over, mulling over all that she had just learnt Kagome fell into a light slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hana Higurashi was in her kitchen, the old Miko had left her to her own devices after checking on Kagome, claiming that she had some research to do herself. Hana now found herself hovering over the stove; she decided that a nice cup of hot chocolate would soothe her now frazzled nerves. She stared at the almost boiling milk as her mind wondered on her new discovery.

'_How is it possible? My boobs are really sore and sensitive, and I am late... it would make sense, but how did Kagome know? She said I smelt differently? Am I really pregnant? I wonder what Kei will say?'_

Distracted by her thoughts she did not see the mill boil over onto the stove, but was brought out of her musings when she smelt the burnt milk. She quickly took the pot off the stove and cleaned the burnt milk of the stainless steel surface, before making sure that there was still enough in the pot for a cup of cocoa. She then decided to go and see her husband and take him a cup as well, as a sort of peace offering.

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~

Hana rounded the corner of the hall and knocked on the huge study doors, the oak wood hurting her hand and the gentle pounding. She opened the huge door and poked her head inside, there she found her husband, hunched over the desk, his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose and buried in his paper work.

" Dear?" Hana addressed her husband. He looked up from his papers and smiled at his wife's intrusion.

"Come in my love, what do you have there, it smells like Hot Chocolate?" He asked, talking the glasses off his nose, welcoming the break.

Hana made her way over to the desk and sat one of the cups in front of her husband, perching herself on the edge of his desk, she made herself comfortable and blew on her own cup to cool the brown chocolate drink down.

Picking up the cup, Kei had a good whiff before he too brought the cup to his lips, he was always convinced that his wife made the best Hot Chocolate in the world.

He took a sip and sighed at the familiar taste.

" How is Kagome?" He asked, breaking the silence.

" She is doing well, still transforming, I noticed those markings on her face, like the Tashio's but hers are dark purple and...swirly, I haven't told her yet and I don't think she has seen herself in the mirror yet..." She trailed off, concern filtering into her voice.

Kei put his cup down and put his hand on his wife's leg in a sign of affection.

" She is still our Kagome, dear, she just has a few more modifications... think of it as her getting tattoos and piercings..." A contemplative look appeared on his face. " In fact I think this is a little better than her going out and covering herself in tattoos and weird exotic piercings..." Kei offered as he chuckled.

This brought a smile to Hana's face, she swatted her husband for the jibe.

" Don't say that love, she is going through a very rough time, adjusting to all her new senses... But she is still my little princess, I'm just glad she came back to us alive..." She trailed off again, emotion taking hold.

Kei rubbed her leg again.

" Yes we do owe the Tahsio's so very much for bringing her back alive to us..."

" Yes we owe them everything..."

They continued to sip the hot chocolate, both lost in their own thoughts. Kei was the one again to break the silence.

" What kind of adaptations has she shown yet, apart from the markings? Has she displayed any Miko abilities like when she was a child?"

" No love, she hasn't shown any Miko abilities, I think the Youkai in her might have drowned out the purification powers. She just has a stronger sense of smell, sight and hearing..."

"Aah" was his reply, taking another sip of his chocolate.

" Speaking..." Hana began, nerves taking over, she was not quite sure how to approach the subject with her husband.

" Speaking of stronger sense of smell, Kagome said that I smelt different and... and suggested that I might be pregnant... and, and, and..." She didn't quite know how to finish the sentence, gauging her husband's reaction.

First confusion, then understanding and finally happiness lightened up the Higurashi male's face. He jumped up from his seat and enveloped his wife in a huge bear hug in his excitement.

" I'm gonna be a Daddy again! I'm gonna be a Daddy again!" He kept saying, while swinging his wife around in circles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another slash rang through the empty dojo again, leaving a read welt on the bare back of a very frustrated Hanyou.

" How could you mess this up? I set everything up for you! All you had to do was make sure the narcotics were delivered along with the Girl!"

Another slash rang out across the room.

" You are a disgrace of a son! Now I have to deal with the Tiger!"

Another slash.

" You are no son of MINE, Naraku!"

The Spider hanyou looked up after recovering from the last slash, his back bleeding from the repetitive welts issued from his Youaki Father. His black eyes holding all the malice of the world as he remained silent while his father reprimanded him.

Once his father had finished with his lashed, heaving from the force at which he whipped his son in punishment, he gestured for his son to stand.

" I apologise father, The Dogs will pay for their interference..."

Returning to the wall of the Dojo, his father replaced the bamboo whip back onto the shelf of the armoury.

" No you shall not do a thing, I shall see to the Dogs and their interference... you obtain the girl again..."

"Yes father", anger flashing in his vision at his father's lack of trust in his abilities.

" Can I trust you with this task?" He asked, looking his son square in the eye, issuing the challenge to challenge him.

Looking down, not meeting the challenge, Naraku answered his father.

" Yes Father, I shall get it done."

"The Gala for the merging of the international companies is coming up and the Higurashi's shall be making an appearance... I trust you shall use this knowledge wisely..."

With the satisfaction of his son's submission, he left the Dojo, leaving a bleeding Naraku to brood in his thoughts and blood. He paused at the door and issued his final say on the matter.

" Naraku... Do not fail me, again."

Naraku followed his father's movements with his eyes, never once moving from his kneeled position on the ground. Of course he would agree to recapture the girl, he was going to do it anyway, whether his father wanted it or not, as far as he was concerned, she was his, as he had his own plans for her, particularly now that she should of been fully transformed.

As for his father's threat, Naraku issued a threat of his own to the now empty dojo.

" I will not fail father, and when I succeed... you will die."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End

Yasashii ~Kind, Gentle, Easy Loving

Megumi ~ Blessing

Dojo ~ Gym


	7. Chapter 6: Irony at its Best

'**For something ( or someone) to be lovable, it must be already inside one, or we must want it to be inside.' ~Adam Phillips~**

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits**

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 6:

Irony at its Best

**Modern Day, Tokyo:**

It had been weeks since he helped the whelp rescue the Higurashi girl. Weeks of endless research and dead end leads. She had taken over his life and not even realised it. All at the demand of his father and the promise he had made to the Higurashis'.

Sesshoumaru Tashio threw the current papers he had in his hands down on his desk in resignation. He had employed all his tactics and skills into research about the narcotic trade and the importance of the Higurashi girl in the trade. All he has come up with is the Drug Lord Bai Chung Li in China's involvement with the Lord of the North and son and it looks like the Northern Lord is supplying the Continent with the Drugs under the pretence of opening an alliance with the Chinese Tiger in the labour industry, however he had no follow ups or paper work to prove such claims. The Taiyoukai Prince was getting very frustrated. His current report from Toran proved no different, he had sent her to China to see if she can dig up any kind of dirt on the Tiger. What she had managed to come up with is the name Quin, a Panda Youkai that works as one of the Tiger Lords lackies, running errands for him, and his current involvement in something called 'Operation Takedown.' He could tell something was cooking there from her report, but once again just words and ghosts, nothing concrete to move on. To top things off very badly, he had the Manten brothers breathing down his neck, inquiring as to his involvement with the break in the narcotic case that happened the night of the captured Higurashi and the Queen's Warf sting. His alibi of the business meeting with the Singapore Official was not enough to dissuade the Thunder brothers detectives off his bloody case.

He looked at his clock again, it read 7.45 pm. He had a business dinner gala to attend with his father that night in tribute to the closed deal with the Four Tigers of Asia, effectively pinning the Tashio Corporation onto the world map as a leader in innovation and power. He had an hour to go home and change before the dinner at 9. With that, he shut down his laptop and left his office, quickly donning his jacket, he made for the elevator.

A the ding of the lift, he got into the glass box and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was getting a headache, something that rarely affected him.

As the elevator opened to the car park, the hackles on Sesshoumaru's back rose, something was off. His senses on alert, he made his way over to his car, bleeping the alarm off, he opened the driver door and spun around, grabbing the offensive Youkai by the neck, almost crushing the windpipe in fury at the audacity of the intruder to sneak up on him Sesshoumaru Tashio. A snarl was ripped from his throat as he closed his fingers slightly and spoke in feral tongue.

" Your insolence shall be your demise, Wind Witch. What is your purpose in sneaking up on this Sesshoumaru?"

Kagura gulped and wheezed a reply as she was picked off the ground, dangling in mid air as the Taiyoukai Prince addressed her.

"Be warned, Son of Inu No Tashio, there is a threat that must be dealt with at the hands of my master, know the name Tsubaki...know the prophecy..."

She coughed out. He squeezed her neck again for good measure then dropped her to the ground, knowing full well who the wind witch's 'master' was he questioned her again, red seeping into his vision.

" Why do you come and warn me of this, whore of Naraku?"

Holding her now bruised throat from her sprawled position on the floor, she looked up into the eyes of the older Tashio.

" He is my hell and I seek redemption before my death..."

She replied, looking away, not capable of looking the Lord in the face in the admittance of her vulnerability.

The Inu then sent his acid whip flying, effectively slicing the wind witches head clean off its shoulders, as it rolled to a stop just before his feet, he addressed her again.

"Do not seek redemption and honour through one such as me, witch, Izanami awaits you at the gates of hell."

With that he got into his car and drove to the Tashio estate.

Little did the Inu know that a few moments after he dispatched the wind witch to the afterlife, her flesh began to knit back together, and in the painful process of regeneration, she was whole again, unable to face death as her master holds her heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru greeted his father with the same grunt he always did, he found his father getting ready for the gala in his dressing room, standing before the 3 panelled mirror as the tailor fitted the last trimmings on his dinner jacket.

" Sesshoumaru, my son, how was your day?" Yasashii greeted with a warm smile.

" The usual father, no leads."

" Aah, in any case, Kagome is faring well, she is adapting to her new powers in leaps and bounds, Kaede seems to think that she may either be Inu or Fire elemental as she posses a keen nose and a very powerful fire power."

" Hnn" He replied, making his way over to the chair that was off to the side of the dressing room.

"I have made the amendments to the will as Izayoi asked; you will find the copy on your desk tomorrow affirming you as the new CEO of the company. The Swords will still be entrusted as I see fit my son."

"Indeed."

Sitting in the chair, he sighed again, his headache mounting, the eerie feeling of conquest of the business deal dying with the visit from the wind witch. The feeling of dread still encompassing the Inu.

" Father, do you insist on going?"

"Do you intent to stop me, Sesshoumaru?" He answered, adorning his bowtie.

"I will not stand in your way."

A frown marring the features of the older Inu, he could see the power struggle within his son over his decisions in the will.

" Do you desire power so much? Why do you seek power, my son?"

"The path I walk is the way of Supreme Conquest, and it is power that will reveal that way for me."

"Supreme Conquest..." His father repeated, having fixed the tie and now donning the jacket, he turned to face his son. "Tell me, Sesshoumaru, have you someone to protect?

Silence filled the dressing room; the tailor bee lined it out the door at the heavy tension that hung in the air from the question, making the room rather uncomfortable.

" Protect?" Sesshoumaru questioned, examining his claws contemplating the question. He looked up at his father again. "The answer is no, I Sesshoumaru have no need of such."

With that the Inu Prince got up and left the dressing room, making his way over to his own quarters where he can get ready himself.

His father called out to him again as he walked away.

" Shall we go in the same limo son?"

Sesshoumaru paused to answer the question.

" No, you go on ahead father, there are some things I need to take care of first before I join you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the other side of Tokyo, a very disgruntled Bankotsu sat, bow tie undone in the Higurashi estate, waiting for his partner to finish faffing with his outfit.

Jakotsu, his partner, popped his head out of their bedroom quarters again for the third time in the space of 5 minutes, holding what looked like a puke green tie and a shiny studded black bowtie.

" Bank, which one do you think compliments my face the best? The green because it brings out my eyes, or the bowtie?" He said, holding both close to his face for his partner's inspection.

" Jak, seriously, the green one looks like baby poo and the bowtie looks like you stole it from a Mick Jagger concert..." He huffed. Theatrical tears brimming in the queens eyes at the harsh tone of his partner's reply.

" You don't have to be so mean! I just want to look good for you! I think I'm going for the bowtie, its retro with the studs on it, makes me stand out more." He stated, heading back into their bedroom.

Realising his harsh words would put the outrageous queen in a bad mood for the rest of the night; he got up to rectify the situation, and headed into the bedroom to see what his partner was doing. He found Jakotsu finish tying his bowtie, and donning a matching sequined dinner jacket.

" If you wear that you will stand out more that Dolly Parten in drag at a Tina Turner cabaret show." Feigning outrage, the glittering queen grabbed his white gloves and matching clutch and wacked the handsome warrior with the dinner gloves lightly on the shoulder in small reprimand.

" Well at least I'll outshine all these other posers there tonight. It's such a pity Kagome wouldn't allow me to go in drag; I would have been the belle of the ball..." He stated whimsically as he helped Bank with this bowtie.

" I think she would of been doing you a favour darling, knowing how 'in character' you like to be..."

" Speaking of Kagome, we better shake a tail feather so we can meet her down stairs, don't want to be late for the gala..."

" Kami alone knows why she insisted on us coming along with her to this..."

" Because she knows how I like to dress up, and she needs her best men for support, you know this is the first time she will be seen in public after that transformation..."

Both men made their way out the door, Jakotsu looping his sequined arm around Bank's as he escorted his partner down stair to meet the Higurashi party.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hana Higurashi made her way down the elaborate stair case, careful not to step on her blue satin evening gown, her small baby bump showing.

Kei came and met her at the bottom of the stars.

" You are positively glowing tonight." Hana blushed at the compliment and took the offered arm of her husband.

As they made their way towards the entrance hall, they heard a high pitched scream and the sound of something breaking against the wall.

" Sound like Kagome still isn't ready..." Kei stated, looking up to where the noise had come from.

Hana sighed, she looked at her husbands tentative face.

" I know you are anxious to get to the gala considering you are one of the prime investors in the business deal and it means so much for Yasashii..."

Kei looked at his wife in the eyes.

" I'll go and sort Kagome out, you go ahead and we will join you there as soon as we can."

Kei kissed his wife on the temple and rubbed her tummy. " You are wonderful, what would I do without you?"

She giggled at the show of affection. " Let's never find out..."

"Tell Souta to be good..." He said and donned his jacket and left to the awaiting limo.

Hana watched him go out the door as she rubber her bump where Kei had just had his hands.

" You are going to be one luck boy... my Souta." As she turned to go back upstairs, she met Bank and Jak on the stairs.

"Oh boys, you two look lovely..."

" Oh my, Hana, you have gotten so big!" Jak exclaimed, rushing over to the mother and rubbing the bump. "Hes going to be a big boy when he's ready to meet the world..."

" Yes he is." Hana agreed. "Kei has gone on ahead of us we seem to have a-" She was cut off mid sentence by a feral growl that echoed into the entrance hall and the sound of another crash and shattering of something meeting the wall.

" A Kagome problem." Hana finished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been weeks since Kagome's ordeal with the kidnapping, and according to Kaede, she was coming along nicely.

Kaede had become a mentor to the young girl, she had scheduled daily teachings to help Kagome with her developing powers, and help her with the emotional turmoil of her change, adapting from human to Youkai.

Her crash course in Youkai behaviour had been a shaky road, she had learnt to control her breathing that helped her deal with her strong sense of smell, she had learnt when to open her sense to take in the different smells and when to switch it off, just allowing her to breath. Her sight had been the easiest; she had taken to wearing glasses when outside as to help with her photosensitivity, but even her tolerance there had grown. She had learnt that her ability to feel the person's energy signature was not that common amongst the Youkai community, but she had honed her skills, even to the point of seeing them herself. Kaede had called them auras, an energy signature that all living beings give off, each one different to the other. Kagome had learnt that hers was a light blue, and changed depending on her mood, fluctuating from deep purple when using her Youkai abilities to a clear blue when content and happy.

She had tried several times to speak to Megumi through her book again, but the blue light from the pages did not light up and the words she wrote were still the modern kanji she was use to. By now Kagome had read over the last few pages of the inscription, over and over again, trying to piece together the last information that Megumi had bestowed upon her.

_**You shall be visited by a special being, she will help answer your questions... bewares the red eyed spider Kagome...**_

Her mind had been doing circles upon circles to try and figure out what her previous life was warning her about. She decided to put it to the back of her mind for now and concentrate on her new abilities before she tackled the issue of her book. So not having breathed a word to anyone, she continued on her normal routine, well what had become her normal routine.

Most of all over the last few weeks she had learnt that her instincts where more primal, they often came to the surface of her behaviour, and help guide her, particularly when it came to using her new found powers. This had happened on more than one occasion, where she would be in a deep sleep and her anger would rise to the surface, and her eyes would glow an eerie blue and her hands would become extremely hot, and tingly like she had shoved them into an open flame, and then fire would burst from her palms. Her bed suffered the most in these occasions, turning the wooden structure to dust and activating all the fire alarms in the house.

It was then that Kaede took her to the dojo and riled her up to such an extent that she shot a fire ball at the old baba, singing her robes as she dodged the ball of anger. What Kaede saw that day, was not her usual purple fare of her aura and the Youkai energy that rose to the surface coating her skin in its flammable power, but rather a bright blue that flashed, mixed in with the purple, and the flaming ball of power that Kagome had shot towards her in anger, was not completely Youkai, but possessed a core of spiritual power as well, the purifying power of the Miko. The old Miko's good eye grew wide in realisation, not yet ready to inform her student, she decided to keep the matter to herself until she had such knowledge that would help the young Youkai, when her emotions, particularly her anger, where more in check. This resulted in their latest finding.

Earlier in the week she had been at one of her meditating meetings with the old Miko that she had scheduled at 5 every morning, and upon her deep breathing and relaxing, Kagome could sense something lurking in the folds of her unconscious, she informed the Miko of this. To which Kaede has said.

" Relax child, see if you can identify the presence."

So, using the visualisation she had been taught by the old bat, she tried to coax it out by talking to it nicely. It did not respond, instead it felt more restlessness in the back of her mind.

She then tried a clicking sound in her head, one you make like calling an animal to see if that would gain its attention, brought on my her instincts. Suddenly, Kagome had slumped over from her meditation pose and was holding her head as if in agony.

Kaede has rushed to her side to see if she was ok, and when Kagome had looked up, her eyes were a bloody red, and her fangs were elongated and she sneered at Kaede's touch. Kaede then backed away and tried to read her aura. It was a purplish blue, different from what Kagome's aura normally looked like.

Then Kagome's voice, feral in nature, came booming from within.

" GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

As if nothing happened, her eyes returned to their normal blue, and Kagome was left panting on the floor.

"Kaede what was that?" She questioned after a few intense moments, sensing the old Miko nearby.

" I do not know child..." was her weary response.

Since then Kagome's temper had flared on an hourly basis, over the littlest things, and no one could offer an explanation why.

Now Kagome was getting dressed in her room for the Gala her father had informed her about, this would be the first time she would be seen in public after her transformation, still not completely transformed, but well enough to make an appearance. She now sat on her bed, her eyes trained on her best friend who stood in her door way with Kagome's dress in her hands, holding it up as some form of a shield to protect herself from the flying objects Kagome kept sending her way.

" Kagome, please, just put the damn thing on..." Sango tried coaxing again.

" NO Sango, it makes me look... fat." Was her angry and somewhat dejected reply.

" Kagome, how could you look fat?" She was met with another hairbrush that was flung at her head, to which she automatically ducked to avoid.

Sango's temperament was being tested today. She love Kagome dearly, like a sister, and could only imagine the emotional turmoil she must be going through right now with her transformation and the stress of her first public appearance since the kidnapping, but enough was enough, Kagome was being far too stubborn and needed to at least put the damn dress on.

Determination in her eyes, Sango marched up to the Youaki sitting on the bed and slapped the girl right across the cheek. Leaving a red print in her wake, which stayed there for a minute before the rapid healing of her Youkai powers kicked in and made it disappear. Kagome turned towards her best friend, eyes flashing red, she snarled at her for her audacity.

Sango then flicked her on her sensitive nose, like a puppy, to which Kagome tentatively retracted from the hand, tears brimming in her eyes as she looked at her best friend again, going from anger and mirth to hurt and guilt.

" Enough Kagome! You are beautiful, you were beautiful before, but now... you are just stunning! I am so sick of your mood swings..." Taking a calming breath, she carried on. " Now, put the damn dress on so we can go to this stupid thing, please? You mother called me specifically to come and give you a hand as she knows you are stressed, so please... will you let me help you?" Talking in her best friends words, a lonely tear leaking out her sapphire eyes, and still holding her sensitive nose, Kagome offered her friend an affirmative nod.

" Good." Sango handed her the dress and Kagome took it and proceeded to put the red fitting dress on. Readjusting her strapless bra, she turned to Sango to let her do up the back zip and she helped Kagome smooth out the kinks in the fabric. She them turned to Sango and brought the young girl into a bear hug.

" Thank you, Sans." Kagome said into her hair as she squeezed her best friend in a show of emotion.

" Ugh Kagome, I still need to breath..." Blushing at her inhuman strength, Kagome let the girl go.

" Sorry, I'm... I'm..."

"It's all good, I know you are still adjusting...Now, let's have a look at you..." She said, taking the young Youkai over to her full length mirror.

Kagome's sapphire eyes scanned her form, taking in all the differences of her appearance. Her black hair was pulled to the side in an off the shoulder bun, exposing the left side of her neck, with the other side having the her hair cascading down in tumbling curls. She could vaguely make out the bluish tint to some of the strands of hair, something Kaede reckoned as part of her transformation.

Her now sapphire blue eyes stood out even more with the Smokey eye makeup that Sango had done for her, enhancing her facial features were the twin curled stripes of deep plum that came above her ear and ended on an elegant point just below her eyes. She turned a little, tracing the plum coloured markings over her left ear and down the side of her neck onto her back where they opened up into a more intricate pattern of swirls and twirls. Kagome then looked at the dress, a fitting strapless gown that boosted her derrière and showed off her now slightly wider hips, she took in the small plum pattern that swirled just underneath her collar bone, leaving a triangle of skin exposed just above her breasts, a kind of visual point of focus. She then scanned her legs, watching as she shifted her weight in her high pump sandals, the deep red wine colour of the dress faded to a gentle red as it flared a little and came down to her feet with a small train following her. The high slit on the side of the dress exposed her lower thy and left calf and the plum patterning that decorated the outside of her legs all the way to just above her ankle, where the strappy sparkling red pumps offered her long legs a leaner look in showing them off.

Sango took in her friend's appearance from behind her, and even she had to admit to a small bout of jealousy that flared in her lower belly at the sight her friend presented. She quickly snuffed it out.

" See Kagome, you are going to make every man drop dead." Her friend encouraged.

"Haha drop dead from horror..." Sango rolled her eyes at the remark. "Kagome, you are like a pregnant woman on steroids, you need to hone in on the mood swings, and you look really good, promise." She tried again.

Kagome smiled at the insult, she knew that her best friend was just trying to make her feel better, and after hibernating in her home for the last couple of months, it was time she faced the world again... She just wasn't sure if she was ready for the world again. She was looking forward to seeing all her friends again, she missed Inuyasha the most, and she still needed to thank him and Sesshoumaru for saving her.

A new determination in her eyes, she turned to face her friend.

" You look better Sango, but thanks."

She offered her friend a warm smile and they both hugged again, just then, Kagome's mother and came through the door.

" Kagome, what was going on in here?" Her mother questioned at the door, gesturing to all the broken bottles and hair ornaments on the floor by the entrance of Kagome's room.

Embarrassed by her mother's appearance, she apologised.

" Heh, sorry mom, got carried away again..." She offered, heading over to pick up the broken pieces of what was her makeup and perfumes from her vanity. Kagome's nose twitched and she looked up to see her other two best friends in the doorway.

" Jak, Bank, I'm so glad you could make it!" She rushed over and picked up the queen in a hug and gave him a small squeeze.

"Oh My Kagome, you are beautiful!" Jak exclaimed upon seeing her before he was swept up into her hug.

" Kagome... air..." Blushing again at her strength, Kagome put her friend down.

"Sorry I still haven't quite gotten use to it..." She offered.

" No need to apologise, I love it when Bank hugs me like that..." Jak offered with a wink, Bank blushing a little.

" Now turn your sassy ass around, I want to see what they did to you..." Kagome obliged the outrageous man and did a quick twirl, Bank offering a wolf whistle as she did so.

" Kagome they made you more irresistible! You look gorgeous darling!" Bank offered. Leaning in to give her a peck on the cheek.

" Wowee and look at those eyes! You can drown in those blue oceans!" Bank said, holding the sides of her face to examine her. " And look at those markings... how far down do they go?" He asked, letting her go and giving her a once over.

" All the way down my body to my ankles.." she showed them, exposing her left calf and her pump to the two males.

" OOOe my it's like playing a maze puzzle, it's rather sexy... do they go all the way to your womanly bits?" Jak asked, running a hand over Kagome's calf.

Kagome blushed even more at the attention.

" No they end just above it."

" The end of the maze no doubt..." Bank jibed with a wink to Sango.

" I wonder what kind of Youkai you are to have those?" Jak asked still touching her markings and following the swirling patters down her leg.

" No idea..." Kagome shrugged.

" You do look very lovely my sweetheart." Hana complimented from her position next to Sango. Sensing a possible mood swing at the topic of her Youkai origin, she tried to change the subject.

" Yes you do, but look at these shoes!" Jak cut in, bending lower to look at her pumps.

" Do you think they would fit me? They would be perfect for my Red Riding Hood skit..."

All the girls giggled at the queens antics, Bank rolling his eyes again.

" Of course you can borrow them Jak. " Kagome offered, trying to gain back control of her foot from the glittering male.

" Now then, Kagome you are all ready love, let's get you down stairs and into that limo..." Jak looped his arm with hers and Banks and headed out her door, followed by a laughing Sango and Hana.

" It was a very good Idea to call them Sango, she hasn't been this... normal in ages..." Hana whispered into the brunet's ear as they looped arms to walk down the stairs together.

" It's my pleasure Ms Higurashi, it's the least I can do for Kagome." Sango said, glad to see her friend light hearted again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Naraku Onigumo stood before his mirror, adjusting the bowtie he had on for the second time in 5 minutes as he spoke.

" Have you made the arrangements?"

" Yes, master, they are all in place and timed to your orders." Was the reply of his henchman, Hakudoshi.

" You know I would not entrust such a task to any other. You are aware that everything must go to plan?"

" Yes, Master. All shall be done as you asked." The blue haired child like demon answered his master with a bow.

" Good." He gestured with his free hand for the demon to leave. He then addressed the other presence in the room.

" Kanna... where has your sister gone off to? She was supposed to be here when I got ready..."

The void girl, showing no emotion answered her master.

" She has gone to run an errand... Master."

Wearing a contemplative look, Naraku turned to face the girl.

" Aah, see to it that she comes to me when she returns..."

He made his way over to the door where his evening jacket was hanging, he removed it and donned the jacket and turned to the mirror, giving himself a once over.

"How do I look?" He turned to face the demon girl again, she did not answer him, merely nodded at the question. He turned back to the mirror.

" Yes, tonight shall be a night to remember, as I say goodbye... father."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha was almost as giddy as the day he had experienced his first snowfall, his heart was racing and he had a goofy grin plastered across his face. He was whistling a very dorky rendition of _YMCA_, when he entered the kitchen. His mother looked up from her place at the kitchen island and upon seeing her son so happy, a smile broke out on her own face as it had been ages since she had seen him smile this big.

" Inu, what has you in such a happy mood?"

Pausing by the refrigerator and grabbing the bottle of orange juice, he turned to her, not even noticing that she was in the room.

" Keh, nothing Ma, am I not allowed to be in a good mood for once?" He gulped a few mouthfuls of orange juice down then made to put the carton back in the fridge.

" Of couse you are allowed to be in a good mood darling, If you put that back in there Inuyasha, I swear you will live to regret it." Her tone changed from light-hearted to meaning business as she watched the half Inu almost place the orange juice carton back into the fridge.

Ignoring the threat, Inuyasha sat down at the island with his mother, the carton still in his hand.

" Keh, what you doing here anyway? Arn't you suppose to be getting ready for this Gala thing tonight with Dad?" He questioned, taking another swig of the juice.

" I am almost ready, I was just going over your fathers speech for tonight, fine combing the last details..." She answered, looking back at the paper in her hand. " Why are you not getting ready to go? You are coming, are you?"

" Sure as hell I'm coming, have to support Pops and Icicle Butt in their shindigs."

A glint of something appeared in Izayoi's eyes. " Oh I thought you were only coming to see Kagome again?" She questioned, feigning boredom.

Inuyasha almost choked on the last part of the juice as she asked her question.

" Well, I am excited to see Kags again, but that's not the only reason..." He trailed off, a rosy red staining his cheeks.

His mother smiled again, her son was so easy to read.

"Very well, we are leaving in an hour, I suggest you get dressed..." His mother said, getting back to the speech.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Limo upon limo were lined up at the entrance to the Grand Plaza in the middle of Tokyo where the Benefit Gala was being held. A great gold and red banner was hung up across the second floor balcony, the read 'Tashio-Sing Gala', the new name to their joint adventure. The entrance was carpeted in red, and all the paparazzi and news crews were cordoned off to one side of the carpet. Each limo had paused at the red carpet to drop of the guests for the evening, people from all over where invited to the event, the members of Youkai Council, the Human president, the Emperor, the Singapore Council for the Four Tigers power house of business, people from each company, celebutants, charity organisations, the works, if you were important in the eyes of Tashio Enterprises, you had your name on the guest list.

The guests paused for a brief interview and photo session outside the entrance to the Grand Plaza, once that was complete, they made their way inside, where they were greeted with their own personal usher that took their coats and jackets and showed them to their seats in the Great Hall, where they would them enjoy a full five course meal during the presentation for the announcements and acknowledgements. Once the formalities are taken care of then, the guests would be left to mingle and socialise in the smaller hall.

One of the first to arrive was the Tashio party, Yasashii emerged from the limo first, then offered his white gloved hand to his wife, Izayoi, who, dressed in a black Gucci ensemble was the picture of elegance. Inuyasha followed them out the limo, where his hands kept reaching for the uncomfortable bowtie, that his mother had won the fight in the limo over him wearing. Next to emerge were the dignitaries of the Sing Company and their entourages. Lastly bringing up the rear was Kei Higurashi, alone, he stepped out the limo with his personal assistant in tow, he made his way on the red carpet to the entrance hall.

One they were inside, Kei made his way over to Yasashii and party.

"Yasashii, my friend, you have outdone yourself again." Kei greeted the Western Lord with a quick pat on the back and a firm handshake. The Dog General's laughter could be heard throughout the hall.

" Kei, it's good to see you, where is Hana?" He asked, amusement glittering his eyes.

"We were having some... Kagome issues, before we departed..." Kei stated.

" Aah, I understand..." The Dog General answered. Kei lent in to kiss Izayoi on the cheek and pay her a compliment about how she looked.

"Is Kagome coming?" Inuyasha questioned Kei as he shook his hand.

" Yes son, have no worry, Hana stayed behind to make sure she was ok, they will be here shortly..." He then turned to the General again.

" Where is the star of the hour? I hope he will be here to accept his new status..."

The General's laughter could be heard again. " Ahhh, yes Sesshoumaru will join us later, he had a few errands to run before he came..."

Kei offered the couple a smile. Inuyasha, bored already from the chit chat, excused himself from the group and made his way over to the Southern Lord's gathering.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Wolf Piss, where'd you guys shoot off to on Kags' birthday?" Inuyasha greeted the Wolf Prince with a pat on the back.

" He Inu-trasha, Ayame suggested we go home and get funky..." a cheeky grin plastered on his face as he answered the half-inu with a waggle of his eyebrows.

" Heard about you and Sesshoumaru pulling the covert rescue on her kidnapping." Kouga tried to change the subject.

"Ha with no thanks from you wolf, I was rescuing her while you were getting you fur wet..." Inuyasha spat at the wolf.

I wouldn't have allowed her to get captured in the first place if she were under my watch..."

"Don't you mean your perverted stare? " Inuyasha questioned with a raise of his eyebrow.

Kouga answered with a roll of his eyes and a shrug of his shoulders.

Inuyasha chuckled at the wolf, "You really are a womanising prat! I'm sure Ayame didn't do shit to get you home."

"Watch it Dog breath, you suggesting that I am some kind of animal?"

" Yes I am wolf turd, there is no way you would skip out on the opportunity to get laid."

The two were neck and neck again, a breath away from each other's faces.

" I am more of a gentlemen than you will ever be..." Kouga growled.

" Haha but I'm more man than you will ever be..." Inuyasha shot back.

"Well at least my mommy didn't dress me..." he hinted, pointing to his now skew bowtie. A growl was heard from the now enraged hanyou.

It was good timing on Ayame and Izayoi when the stepped into the conversation, eager to break up the now agitated duo.

" Will you two quit your pissing competition!" Ayame stated, trying to pull Kouga away from the Hanyou.

" Could you please not do this now, Inu?" Izayoi questioned.

With another growl, Kouga turned to walk away. Inuyasha huffed as he walked away, and shot one last jibe to the wolf before they were ushered into the hall.

" Don't be hating the player, wolf, hate the game..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hakudoshi sneered at the lack of competence of his henchmen. Why did Naraku insist on hiring such useless thugs?

"Renkotsu, have you placed the package?" He breathed into the walkie talkie. Static was heard for a second.

" Yes Hakudoshi, Suikotsu and Kyokotsu are planting the last packages now."

" Good. Does Mukotsu have the trigger?" Hakudoshi answered.

"Yes, he is helping Genkotsu get ready to look like one of the doormen for the wiring."

More static was heard as Hakusoshi turned off the walkie talkie.

He then flipped open his phone and dialled his speed dial.

" Its ready, Master." He breathed into the receiver and put the phone back into his pocket.

'_That chemical concoction Mukotsu has invented better explode...' _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The last white limo pulled up to the red carpet, effectively making the occupants fashionably late. With a roar of the crowd, Jakotsu and Bakotsu emerged from the limo first, both hand in hand, they made their way down the plush carpet, Jak eager to greet the shutter bugs with his gossip.

Next to emerge from the limo was Sango, squinting down the red carpet at the duo that had gone on ahead of them, she waited for Hana Higurashi to emerge. Hana patted her daughter one last time on her gloved hands and gave them a small squeeze. With a kiss to the forehead, and her comforting words, Hana emerged from the limo with Sango's help.

"You'll be great, sweetheart."

Kagome took in a nervous breath, she could hear her heart beating in her chest like a caged bird, eager to take flight.

'_Kami help help us..._' she thought as she readied herself to exit the limo, fake smile in place, she emerged. She was assaulted by the reign of blinding lights from the photographers and the news crews, all eager to get the first glimpse of the Higurashi heir after her 21st celebrations.

'_Just breathe...'_ Kagome kept reminding herself as she made her way down the red carpet after her best friend and mother. Somewhere in the back of Kagome's mind, red eyes flashed her warning that left the little hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. Attributing the feeling as nerves, Kagome moved forward...

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~

End

**Old Baba- A rude version of Granny or Old lady. **

AN/ This one is for lara5170, thank you for your patience. To all the readers, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and all the best for the New year. Here's to all the celebrations for all the different holidays that take place this time of year!

Magic

[Type text]


	8. Chapter 7: Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

'**As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them.' ~John F Kennedy**

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits**

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 7

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

**Modern Day, Tokyo:**

" Kagome, Kagome, can you tell us what happened that night on your birthday?"

"Kagome, who are you wearing?"

"Kagome, what kind of Youkai are you?"

" Kagome, are you still in line for the Higurashi fortune?"

"Kagome, have you been accepted into Youkai society yet?"

" Kagome, have they found a potential arrangement for your mating rites yet?"

"Kagome... Kagome... Kagome..."

The hounding of questions assaulted the young girls' ears as she made her way past the news crews, her eyes shifting to a blood red, then back to a sapphire blue. Noticing her distress, Sango made her way back to her friend's side, eager to get to the safety of the Plaza entrance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru stared out of the limo window, his mind reeling at the new information he had just obtained, the small TV in the limo still relaying the news that he had found out moments before the bulletin aired.

"Tsubaki, dark Miko, was reported missing by her apprentice, 24 hours ago, and the Federal Bureau has reported what appears to be the death of the dark Miko in what looks like a drug deal gone bad. Investigation is underway as they appear to have found traces of a miasma and the illegal drug commonly known as 'the Jewel'..."

Closing his phone and gauging the Inu sitting across from him in the limo, the kappa, assistant and devoted worshiper to the Inu prince, addressed his employer with the good news.

" Milord, the documents you have requested have arrived, I have had them delivered to your private address..."

" Hnn." The Western Prince responded, his mind still lingering on his thoughts. This made the little kappa very weary of his lord as he often found him unpredictable at times like this.

'_Tsubaki... she would have had something to do with the Higurashi girl's disappearance and transformation. Naraku was there, the Spider uses his Miasma in his transportation... what is he up to that this Sesshoumaru has not been made aware of...'_

The warning from the wind witch still fresh in his mind, he exited the limo that had pulled up outside the Grand Plaza.

As he emerged from the limo, he skipped out on the shutterbug reign, for that he was grateful, he scented the air, not detecting anything out of the ordinary, the Inu's beast was still uneasy with the situation tonight and for the life of him, the great Inu could not figure out what had his beast so spooked. Something was happening and if there was one thing he had learnt in his years of service to his father and the training he had undergone to resume his role as Taiyoukai, it was to trust your instincts. This was such time.

" Jaken, keep everyone on alert..." was his departing message to his assistant before he made his way inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~

By now, everyone had taken their seats, the Gala was about to commence, Izayoi offered her mate a quick peck on the cheek before he left her sitting at their table and made his way onto the podium to deliver the speech, followed by Kei Higurashi and the Singapore associates, and, sitting on the podium as was custom to the Youkai Council, were the other three Youkai Lords for the other territories who would honour the merger with their blessing.

The last to take their seats were the Higurashi's and Sango who had managed to locate Miroku. She touched his shoulder from behind as Kagome took her seat next to her mother.

" Roku, there you are..." She greeted the Monk.

"Aah my butterfly, I was beginning to worry, what took you?" He turned to his girlfriend with a worried expression.

" I was helping Kagome and her mother. How goes the new role as assistant to Kei-san?" She asked, sitting next to him.

" Very well, the business deal was closed without a hitch..." he offered her with a wink.

A small giggle escaped Sango as she took Miroku's hand.

" I'm so proud of you..." She stated, warmth shining in her brown orbs.

He kissed her on the temple and the couple looked towards the stage as the Western Taiyoukai spoke into the microphone.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~

Hana had made sure that Kagome was settled before taking her seat next to her daughter; she sought out her husband in the sea of people, and found him standing next to the Taiyoukai on the podium. She offered him a small wave, and he smiled in return. She whispered an 'I love you' across the room for her husband and he smiled and indicated with his hands a 'me too'. She then turned to face the Taiyoukai as he began his speech.

" Ladies and Gentlemen, Youkai and esteemed members of the Council, Mr President and fellow associates... wow this thing is loud..."

There was a quiet chuckle taken up by the audience as the Taiyoukai adjusted his voice to the microphone.

" Thank you all for coming tonight, as we all know, tonight we celebrate the merger of my own Tashio Enterprises, with that of our continent brothers, the Sing Company from Singapore..."

~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A member of the security staff had made his way onto the stage, whispering something into the head of the Council's ear that was seated behind the Western Taiyoukai. Kagome's keen eyes had followed the movement of the man as he had entered the great hall and made his way over the head Council member. She could not help the feeling of absolute dread that crept over her as his whispered words. While she was absolutely positive that even with her Youkai senses she would not be able to hear what the man had said to the elder Youkai, yet she had heard him as if it was plain as day.

" Sir, the Northern Lord Onigumo and his Son have been detained in traffic and will be arriving late..."

She shuddered as goose bumps ripped through her flesh and her breathing became shallow, it felt like she was being suffocated from the inside out. The blood in her veins ran cold at the mention of the Spider and his Hanyou son. Suddenly a voice sounded in her head, she recognised the voice, it was her, but not, more primal, feral, and it spoke to her as if it was another person.

"Danger... must find safety..." It said. Kagome blinked at the realisation that it was not her, but someone else talking to her in her head.

' _Ok I'm going nuts, that was not me... was it?'_ Panic began to swell in her belly again at the warning and the possibility that she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She tried to breathe again, taking in calming breaths, she looked over back at the podium, and her brows furrowed in confusion as she witnessed the security man, the same man she had seen seconds ago, follow the same path up the podium and whisper into the elder Youkai's ear. This time as the security man bend over to whisper in the Youkai's ear, she did not hear what he said. Panic took over Kagome as her breathing became laboured; she leaned forward on the table, holding her head in her hands, trying to soothe the oncoming headache she could feel was building behind her eyes.

'_what just happened, I just saw the same guy walk by, and whisper into the Youkai's ear... am I having visions now or something...What is happening?'_

Trying to remain calm, Kagome eyed her mother sitting next to her, calm as a cucumber, oblivious to her daughter's distress.

' _Did Mama not hear or see what I did_?' She questioned her subconscious.

On the fringes of her sub-conscious, Kagome could sense the restless presence that she had felt earlier that week, it had returned, and this time it was more urgent that before as it pressed on her conscious mind.

Kagome rubbed her temples, and looked around the room, Miroku and Sango were holding hands, listening to the Taiyoukai as he gave his speech, Bank and Jak where whispering something into each other's ear, and examining one of the napkins as if it where new found treasure.

She then looked over to the Southern Lord's table and eyes Kouga and Ayame, Kouga looked a little scorned as he sipped his drink, occasional glancing at Ayame who sat with her arms folded across her chest, complete attention on the Taiyoukai.

Kagome then glanced over at the Western Lords table, a little ways from where she was sitting, she say Izayoi and Inuyasha, he was looking over at her and offered her a small wave. He was also making some kind of gestures with his hands that Kagome did not have the time to try and process. She then saw the empty seat next to him and her eyes then travelled to the opening door.

'_What is happening, everyone is so calm and fine, and I'm on the verge of a panic attack..._'

Kagome looked back at her mother, and whispered in her ear that she was just going to the toilet.

" You Ok?" her mother inquired.

" Fine, just need some air..." was her response as she made her way out of the hall and headed for the bathroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bypassing the last entourage to arrive, Kagome headed for the bathroom, eager to be alone. She swung the vanity door open, and made her way to the sink in the girl's bathroom. Her heels echoed in the tiled room as she walked on shaky legs.

Setting her red clutch down on the vanity, Kagome placed both hands on the side of the basin and took a deep breath. She then opened the tap and ran her hands under the cool water and splashed a little on her face, careful not to rum her makeup.

She did not see the entourage that she passed was Naraku and his father, she did not register the smirk on the Spider Hanyou's face and the small gesture he made to Kagura after the Spider saw her fly past him in a flurry of red. Noticing her lack of escort, the Spider pounced on the opportunity of her being alone, sending his slave to capture the Youkai female again.

Kagome did not see the Wind Witch follow her to the bathroom. Kagome looked up at her reflection in the mirror, she looked at her red rimmed eyes, and hearing the small creak of the bathroom door open, she saw the wind witch emerge. Kagome's eyes bled red and her control over her body slipped to a type of auto pilot. A growl escaped her throat as Kagome's subconscious mind could feel the shift in mentality, she was no longer in control, she could feel the primal feral being that sat on the verge of her subconscious pushed her out of the way and took control, as it did, it spoke to her and the one word it said issued a complete submission from Kagome's conscious as her instinct for survival outweighed her curiosity.

'_Run..._'

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru had arrived later than he had intended, he made his way past the ushers in the entrance hall and made his way over to the main hall, and he could hear his father's voice booming through the speakers as he gave his speech. When he opened to main door, he was greeted by his father's booming voice as he spoke.

"And here is the man of the hour, without my Son's tenacity and drive for the deal and the passion he has shown for the company..." He inclined his head to his father's acknowledgement.

All eyes shifted to him as he made his way over to his seat , the feeling of foreboding growing greater upon his realization that the Northern Lord and his son where not present. He found his seat, only to be greeted with a restless Hanyou.

"Icicle butt, there something wrong with Kagome..." The Inu hanyou said to his half brother as he took his seat.

"Will you cease your insolence whelp..." He spat at the hanyou as he sat down. His eyes moved over to the table where he should of seen the newly transformed Youkai woman. When he does question himself later on the issue, he could not be able to tell you what made him look for the girl, whether it was concern for her well being, brought on by the nagging whelp, or his genuine curiosity to see her transformation with his own eyes.

He eyed her mother, and the missing seat she should have been occupying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

It all happened so fast, if Kagome had to recall the encounter later on, she would not be able to relay it to the detail she was experiencing it now as it unfolded before her. In the blink of an eye, Kagura had sent a wave of her 'Dance of Blades' towards Kagome. Sensing the oncoming threat, Kagome just barely escaped the piercing winds as she flung herself into one of the stalls. A feral growl ripped from her throat at the audacity of the wind witch.

" Bitch, I am here to take you back to my Master." Kagura claimed, before making a dash for the younger Youkai. Kagome registered what Kagura had said, which only furthered her anger and flashed in her now ruby red eyes.

Seeing the move made towards her, Kagome gathered her Youki, and in a sprint of power met the wind witch halfway. They collided with a sickening thud, claws at the ready and upon impact Kagome dug her sharp appendages into the wind Youkai's shoulders. Kagura responded with a scream of pain as she pushed the offending Youkai off her. Kagome retracted her claws, blood now marring her porcelain skin, she recovered from the shove and perched on her haunches, she eyed the wind witch. By now her fangs where elongated and her dress had ripped all the way to her waist, her elaborate hair had come undone and fell around her in a halo of black, only accentuating her now untamed features. Two purple pupils stalked the wind Youkai as she too righted herself.

" You whore, this was my favourite dress..." She exclaimed, lifting what was left of her evening gown. A kind of smirk lifted Kagome's plump lip, exposing more of her elongated fang.

'_She's smug about it._' Thought Kagura from her position across the tiled floor.

A agitated noise escaped Kagome's throat, She dropped her head to lean against the tiled floor, sapphire flashed in her eyes again for a second, and then she moved, heading for the wind witch again, Kagura reeled back, not prepared for the attack. Kagome wound her arm back, muscles constricting and as she neared the Youkai, she unleashed the tension, cracking Kagura across her left cheek in a sucker punch that would shame Mike Tyson.

Kagura's head lolled back and recoiled from the blow, she fell to the floor which gave Kagome the quick exit she was hoping for. In a flash of red, Kagome made for the door, pausing to take one last look at the offending Youkai. She offered another deep growl, a warning from her to never challenge her again.

Kagura wiped the blood from her lip, a smile gracing her bruised features.

'_She is strong; I hope I roughed her up enough to make it look legit...'_

_~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~_

Kagome dashed back to the main hall, her purple pupils taking in her surroundings, the adrenaline pumping through her veins and her primal instincts driving her forward. A grunt ripped through her as her inner selves fought for control.

Kagome's subconscious was in a state of pure panic, she was rattling the proverbial cage she now found herself in, eager for answers.

'_Hey, you... what's happening, what's going on out there? Who are you? Hey, I'm talking to you? Hey?'_

Then in an apparition before Kagome's conscious mind stood the form of her, her hair was more wild, her eyes where ruby red, her markings where more pronounced and moved with her hair as if alive on her very skin. A growl ripped from her elongated fangs as Kagome tried to understand the feral tongue she spoke in.

'_Me, you. You, me_.' It growled at her, gesturing to Kagome and back to herself with her clawed hand.

The light bulb went off in Kagome's mind. She had spoken to Kaede about possibly having a 'beast' within her like other powerful Youkai, this was her baser side, her primal side. The side of her that was brought out by her Youkai instincts, and only in the more powerful Youkai, would they be able to develop the two differences, removing the primal from the civil. Here before her stood her baser side, the side of her that saved her life, and has been helping from the fringes of her subconscious with her powers. Kagome gapped at herself, taken aback by the power that rolled off her 'beast'.

Kagome smiled at herself, and offered her a hand, in a gesture of unity. The 'beast' smiled back, exposing her fangs, she took the smaller hand within her clawed appendage, and then as if they were never two, they merged, becoming one overlapping one another.

Kagome's physical form fell to the ground; she was clutching her head and in a cry of pain, light exploded from her in a wave of blinding power. It shook her to her very core, and when the light passed, Kagome stood, her Youki power rolling off her in waves, busting from her very core. Her now ruby red eyes still dominated her vision, and for the first time in Kagome's entire existence, she felt whole. She pushed the double doors open to the great hall and stepped into the room full of Youkai and human's alike who all turned to view her entrance as they shuddered with her show of power.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Northern Lord had made his way into the Grand Plaza, seeing his son nod to his date, a smug smile lifted the corners of his lips.

" Father, excuse me for a minute, I need to take care of something..." Nodding at his son, knowing full well what he was going to 'take care of', and make good on his promise to obtain the Higurashi girl, he made his way over to the Great Hall, and quietly made his way over to the podium where all the other territory Lords where sitting, nodding in acknowledgement of the other Lords, he sat down.

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha leg was bouncing up and down in agitation, he had not seen Kagome return from the bathroom yet and she had been gone longer than necessary. His protective instincts where kicking in. He was also eager to take to her, and find out how she felt about him and their whole friendship; he also wished to tell her how smoking hot she now looked with her Youkai enhancements. When he had first laid eyes on her entering the great hall, his eyeballs almost fell out of their sockets. She look amazing, he felt his heart burst with an emotion he could not describe, and a small twitch in his pants alluded him to the fact that she was indeed Kagome, and definitely smelled like her, even at this distance.

What bothered him was the look of anguish that covered her features, and as he could not go to her for the speeches had already begun and he was obliged to remain with his mother at their table, he kept a very close eye on her from the table he sat at. Now his agitation was growing in leaps and bounds as it had been close to twenty minutes that she had been gone, and his protective instincts where licking in, whether it was a result of his latest failure on not protecting her properly, or his eagerness to be near her, he did not know, all he knew if that she was gone to long and he damn well didn't like it.

He turned and whispered his agitation to his half brother as he sat down, only to be shushed. His ears pinned back on his head, another ten minutes passed and he could not contain his agitation any longer, he was going to go and find her.

He turned to his mother to excuse himself for a few minutes, when he felt it, the boom of power rocked the hall, it bubbled in the room and they exploded going outwards like an atomic bomb and the sound waves that crashed and rolled from the powerful force. His hairs stood on end all over his body as he registered the Youki that filled the room, suffocating the other powerful auras in the room for a split second before it recoiled and fell back to the source of the blinding light, coming from the double doors that Kagome had gone through half an hour earlier.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru had felt the tingle of power tickle his senses seconds before the blast from the double doors erupted. He looked towards the source of the power and surprise flashed across his features at the sheer raw, unyielding nature of the blast, it was pure power, dominating and suppressing every and all auras within its immediate vicinity. His golden eyes narrowed as the light subsided, pinning the double doors with a intense look.

'_The hanyou had said that the Higurashi girl was missing, she was not in the room and the blast of power could mean her release of her beast... something has happened for that to happen...'_

The doors swung open to reveal a creature that Sesshoumaru had never seen before in his entire lifetime. A goddess of beauty and sheer power stepped through those doors, even his mouth dropped a little upon her entrance. Her ink black hair fell around her as her Youki pulsed around her, sending the locks flying in what could look like a makeshift wind, her ripped dress exposed her entire left leg as she put one step in front of the other, entering the great hall, her markings, the swirls and twirls that decorated her body seemed to move and dance with the power of her Youki. Her elongated fangs peeked over her red lips, the small gash above her eye she had gained from the wind witch, drew blood and left a small stream of the red liquid across her temple and into her cheek. Her longer claws where dripping with the red liquid as well, making her every young man's fantasy of a warrior goddess, breathing life into a very dull landscape.

Sesshoumaru could not deny how attractive she looked upon entering; she stirred desires within him that had been lying dormant since his adolescent years. He would of indulged in the sight she presented a bit more, but the throbbing that had been bothering him for the entire evening had now reached a defining thud as he watched the vision of death make her way into the room. Her red eyes where glittering with power as her purple pupils narrowed on his form, her eyes conveying a message that he could not quite decipher.

Then like it had so many times before, Sesshoumaru's own beast flashed to the forefront of his mind.

'Danger' it warned, and just like that, Sesshoumaru knew what he had to do, a low growl ripped from Kagome's lips as she moved. Sesshoumaru leaned down to the Hanyou who's own eyes were rimmed with red.

" Get them out. NOW!" He yelled, his own voice a bit more guttural than usual. Inuyasha dove for his mother, lifting the small women out of the chair, he dashed towards the exit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

Inu No Tashio stopped his speech when the wave of crippling energy blasted through the hall, he fell to his knees under the onslaught of sheer power and just as it began it was over. He was leaning against the podium as he looked towards the doors from the source of the power, and he witnessed his foreshadowing of death, his own angel of mercy step through the doors.

"Kagome?" he questioned to no one.

She eyed his form from her position at the doors then shifted her gaze to his sons at their table. Inu No Tashio followed her gaze and watched as his eldest stood, then yelled

" Get them out, Now!"

He looked towards his wife as his youngest stood and grabbed her around the waist.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~

Naraku made his way to the entrance again, opening his phone, it rang once and he breathed into the receiver "Detonate".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hakudoshi closed his phone, a sickening smile lifted his childlike lips. He turned to the Renkotsu and issued the order.

" Now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~

There was a second of deafening silence that surrounded the Grand Plaza building, and then a high-pitched ring shattered the silence. The explosions began, in a chain effect that rumbled and shook the earth as if Izanami herself was rising from the underworld. The blinding light from the explosions engulfed the entire Grand Plaza in flames and carnage, lighting up the Tokyo night sky in a pre-dawn.

In the minuets that followed, people were scurrying out the what was left of the front doors in a state of panic and shock, chaos and fear filled the air as the dust and debris from the building settled, levelling the ground where the Grand Plaza in Tokyo once stood.

Golden eyes widened even further as he clung onto his mother, shock overtaking him as he saw what was left of the building crumble down to nothing, his mother's cries for his father drowned out the chaos and panic of the other people. Inuyasha stood for what seemed to be a lifetime as al that he knew was ripped from him.

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sango had managed to escape the carnage, with Miroku's split second reactions, they had huddled together under the table, securing Hana Higurashi under the table with them as the first bomb went off, taking out the podium in a blaze. Miroku then scooped up a now frantic Hana and ran for the doors, he ran like his very soul was being stolen from his body. Sango followed, hot on his heels. Panic and fear fuelled their escape. The now stood on the other side of the street, staring at the building that once stood there.

Hana's cries of anguish for her daughter and husband filled the air as she clung onto Miroku's shoulder. Silent tears of pain fell down Sango's cheeks clearing a path from the dust and charred skin on her face.

The sirens of the fire trucks and police cars were heard in the distance as Sango and Miroku stared back at the burning building.

~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~

It had been half an hour since the explosion, Inuyasha had found the surviving members of the group, being treated by the paramedics for smoke inhalation, he squeezed his mother's hand as silent tears streaked down her face. He again looked to the building.

" What happened to you, Kagome?" He asked the now smoking debris as his own tears began to fall.

Then as if he's prayers had been answered, a pile of debris began to shift and rise, revealing a now scorched Sesshoumaru, his jacket singed to a dismal state, his bare chest peaked through his now torn and burnt shirt. Blood spattered his face and neck and his hair was covered in ash and dust. He was limping as he made his way out of the carnage, and there cradled in his arms, were the remnants of Kagome, her own hair littered with debris, singed in places. Her skin was also covered with dirt and ash and blood marred her features that leaked out of the gash above her eye. Her form cradled against the chest of the Inu, she lay unconscious in his arms.

Sesshoumaru made his way over to the paramedics and handed the girl over to one of the medical staff, Inuyasha made his way over to them as quick as his feet could carry him, taking Kagome's hand, relief washed over him as he heard the shallow breathing and the gentle beating of her heart. He turned to Sesshoumaru whose golden eyes clouded over.

" What happened?" Inuyasha asked.

" Her beast has awoken..." He spoke, and then fell as he fainted. Inuyasha caught him just before he hit the dirt.

~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

End.

AN/ Long overdue I know. I've been pulling my hair out with how I should unfold this cataclysmic event within the plot. I hope you can bear with me as I figure it out. As always, reviews and feedback always welcome.

Magic


	9. Chapter 8:Reality is Nothing but a Dream

'**When you come to the edge of all the light and are about to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen; there will be solid ground to stand on or you will be taught to fly.' ~Unknown~**

Standard disclaimer applies

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits**

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 8

Reality is Nothing but a Dream

**Modern day, Tokyo**

To say Inuyasha was ticked off would have been an understatement, as he paced on the concrete outside the hospital entrance. His mother was taken to ICU to have her burns seen too and there has been no news on the recovery of his father. Being one of the strongest Youkai he had no doubt that the old man would survive. With a promise to his mother on the immediate delivery of news, he now waited for confirmation of his father's well being, and the well being of his best friend, all the while trying to piece together the happenings of last nights' events and his brothers cryptic words.

"You know you are going to wear a hole in the concrete if you do not stop your pacing." Came the voice of a very tired Miroku.

" Do not pester me monk, I am not in the mood for one of your lectures..."

A small smile broke out over the monks face again.

" I have no intention in lecturing you my friend. We are all just as puzzled by it as you are."

Inuyasha stopped his pacing to face the dishevelled man.

" How did that happen, and how on earth did she know about it?"

"That is a very good question my friend. The other question that comes to mind, how did your brother know that the explosion was going to happen, as you said, it was he that informed you of the need to evacuate the building, was it not?"

"Keh, something smells fishy around here and it ain't the pond Youkai..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome lay motionless, in her imaginative limbo, suspended in the air; well what she could assume was the air.

'_Where the hell am I?' _ She thought. A growl was issued in the back of her mind, reminding her of her beast's constant presence.

' _Or rather, where are we?_' another growl was heard in acceptance of the preferred question.

Her surrounding, blank and vast, began to glow around her, and when the light dimmed, she found herself on a beach; she could feel the sand between her toes, rough and grainy. She squinted into the distance as the sound of the crashing waves against the shore, echoed in her sensitive ears.

'_Well this is new? I-I mean, we have never been to the beach before...'_

A short growl resonated in the back of her mind in agreeing with her.

"**Yes, that is why I chose this place, Kagome..."** The omnipresent voice spoke to her, scaring her half to death.

Kagome jumped at the sound of the ethereal voice that hung in the air.

"Who, who are you?"

" **I am Benzaiten, you may know me as ****Benzai-tennyo."**

Kagome's face paled at the information.

" What does the Kami of Love want with the likes of me?" She questioned in a small voice.

There was another blinding flash of light and laughter, like the tinkling of bells was heard as the Goddess took form in front of her.

Her beauty dwarfed that of anything Kagome had ever seen before, and as her smiling face came into Kagome's vision , she prostrated herself in an effort to show the supernatural being the proper respect.

Benzai-tennyo's pink and red Kimono flew around her as if moved by an invisible wind, her ink black hair cascaded around her form, dancing with the invisible wind as it moved. Her hair was brought into a loose pony tail, tied with a purple ribbon just beyond the nape of her neck.

Her chocolate brown eyes glowed an azure as light from her amusement danced in her orbs, and her crystal skin and perfect completion gave off an incandescent glow as she smiled at the young Youkai.

"Rise Kagome, there is no need to be so formal with me..."

A surprised look covered the young Youkai's features as she rose from her Kow-tow position on the sandy floor.

" You are very precious to us here in the realms of the Kami, Kagome", Benzai spoke. " We have been watching over you for quite some time..."

" Oh" Kagome addressed.

" You have improved on your articulation skills then?" The Love Kami jibed.

A blush overtook her cheeks at the comment.

" Umm well Benzai- sama, I don't really know what to say?"

Her bell like laughter was heard again.

"Call me Benzai, please Kagome."

Another blush shadowed the young Youkai's cheeks at the informal Kami.

" Okay, Benzai, if you call me Kagome..."

Her bell like laughter rang through the air.

"Yes I would imagine as such, however I come baring news of grave importance to you Kagome of the Bow..." Her tone switching from amusement to serious.

"I come to warn you, you are part of the intricate pattern of life, and are a gift we as the Kami have bestowed on Human and Youkai kind to aid them in their hour of need."

Wonder and what could be disbelief flashed in Kagome's sapphire eyes as she listened intently to the Kami.

" Once human, now Youkai... you are the weapon that shall tip the scales in the final battle..." The Kami's voice laced with knowing as she foretold her message to Kagome.

Kagome's brows stitched together as she tried to comprehend the information being bestowed upon her.

" What does my transformation have to do with the end of the world, Benzai-sama?" She questioned the goddess.

Her bell like laughter rang throughout the realm again.

" It has everything to do with it, Kagome... with your human heart and your Youkai standing, you are the ultimate balance between both Youkai and Human... use your chosen form..." The goddess stated matter-of-factly at the now confused Youkai.

A frown marred Kagome's features as she gazed into the amused azure eyes of the Goddess before her.

" But, Benzai- san, what kind of Youkai am I?"

" You already know Kagome, trust in your beast to provide you the answers your conscious self seeks... but before I go, the prophecy that you, Kagome, are to fulfil..."

A complex understanding began to form in Kagome's mind as she focused on the Kami's words.

"The darkness of the past will dawn again and shadow the future, and so too will the light and when dark and light rise, in her, find the balance of power to end it all."

Quiet silence followed her words of warning, the Kami and Kagome seemed to stare at the distant shore.

"I have absolutely no idea what you expect me to do with that information Benzai-san..." Kagome stated whimsically.

A small smile graced the Kami's perfect lips.

" You will know when the time is right, Kagome, that is why I have given you a guide that shall help you, aid you and protect you in your journey." Benzai stated with a mischievous note in her voice.

Baffled again by the goddess's words, Kagome turned to the goddess.

" Who? What, what? A guide?"

The smile grew on the goddess's face.

" Yes, child, a guide, a protector. He will see to you and your safety, he already has. For now, I must return you to your physical form; this will hurt as you were in a bad accident. You shall not remember me, but you will also not forget... trust in your beast, she will heal you..."

Before Kagome could interject with the mountain of questions building in her already overloaded brain, the bright light shone once again, and Kagome found herself vertical, wracked in pain, her eyes bolted open, and she screamed as the agony twisted her form.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru massaged his temples in an attempt to keep the looming headache at bay. He had been brought down to the morgue to help identify the deceased that had been pulled out of the rubble. He had just identified the Higurashi male; the head of the Higurashi house was partially decapitated by a beam that had swung from the ceiling. He and a couple of the Youkai council were struck by the deathly blow. His skin was burnt in places and singed to the bone over most of his face and neck. Something akin to guilt flashed over his face at the realization, having been the person who instigated the involvement of the Higurashi as backing to his business deal, the man was present at the podium by his doing.

The nurse then directed him to the last body. She peeled back the covered plastic and again Sesshoumaru was greeted by the smell of charred flesh.

"Father..." He breathed at the body before him on the steel table.

Sesshoumaru stared at what was once his great father, the Inu No Tashio. A moment of eerie silence passed through the morgue at the supernatural moment of the son and father suspended in time, one alive, one dead. Emotions flickered through Sesshoumaru's eyes, the only sign of emotion as his steely facade painted his face.

His mind went postal, calculating, whirling. The last conversation he had with his father and snippets of his father throughout his years of life passed through Sesshoumaru's mind in a montage of images. He was overwhelmed with emotion, sadness, grief, love, respect, pain, surprise. It all stormed above him in a heady mist that clouded his vision as he stared down at the remains of his dead father. The deathly blow from the podium beam had left a hollowed out chasm in the chest, right where the Dog General's heart was supposed to be.

'_He'd tried to protect those behind him... fool.'_

In a second of the storm arising, it vanished, pushed down but the conscious stronghold of Sesshoumaru's mentality.

The silence was broken as the ever faithful retainer kappa Youkai walked through the morgue doors uttering something about Emergency staff and being small in stature. Carrying with him in his hands was the oversized sword that his Lord has sent him to obtain. Tensaiga.

Approaching the Lord, the Kappa addressed him.

"Milord, I brought the sword as you have asked..." His huge bulbous eyes drifted towards the body lying on the table and if his huge green eyes could have popped and rolled out of his sockets and across the floor they would have.

" Inu No Tashio! NOOO how is it the Great General is DEAD?"

" Silence, fool, have respect for the dead..." Came the steely voice of the now Western Lord in reprimand for the screeching of his retainer.

Overwhelmed by despair, the Kappa flung himself over his Lords feet.

" Forgive this lowly servant Milord, I, I-" he was silenced as Sesshoumaru unsheathed the heirloom left to him by his father.

A quiet moment passed and the Kappa looked on in awe as the Sword of Heaven pulsed in the hands of the Western Lord.

It seemed to speak to its wielder as it emitted an eerie blue light.

"Hnnnn." Was the Taiyoukai's reply before he struck the body of his deceased father with the blade.

He waited, the pole bearers of the underworld did not appear as was expected by the Young Lord. Again he swiped the sword, and again, nothing happened. The sword pulsed once more before fading to the dull sheen of the swords blade.

A frown overtook the Lords face as he sheathed the sword once again and left the morgue, the little Kappa following on the heels of his Master.

'_It appears, Father, that fate does not want you back in the realm of the living..._'

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I am here outside Mercy hospital in the heart of Tokyo as an explosion earlier this night wracked the Grand Plaza where the Inaugural Ball was taking place between the Singapore Four Tigers company and the Tashio enterprise. Ambulances in the dozen are still pulling up to the emergency gate as they ferry the wounded from the event. We are still waiting on confirmation as the well being of the Prime Minister and the Tashio family. We have gotten word that the Higurashi's, seen earlier arriving at the even have also been admitted to the hospital. The casualty list keeps climbing as we wait here for any sign of life from the Four heads of Youkai council and..."

Hiten hit the mute button on his remote as he gazed at the small TV in his office. Manten gazed over at his brother, from his perch on the corner of his desk.

"It appears Naraku and the Onigumo family have made their move, brother..." Manten stated to his now deep in thought older brother.

" Yes, send a squad car out, I want to know where Naraku and the older Onigumo are..."

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pain, she was drowning in a sea of it, gasping for breath as she opened and closed her blue eyes, trying to make out the faces and shouting that appeared in her dizzying vision.

" Give her two more cc's of adrenaline..."

" Doctor, she's failing on us again..."

" Get the defibulator in here, I want a check on her vitals, stat..."

" 180 over 220, Doctor..."

" Oh no... she's siezuring again, hold her tongue down..."

" Its flat lined... charged, ok... clear"

"... Again..."

" Clear..."

Kagome's world went black.

" Excuse me, sir, you are not allowed to be here... Get him out..."

" You're in my way, Ningen..."

Silence...

Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep...

"Vitals stabilizing Doctor..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha and Miroku had made their way over to the second floor where they were treating Izayoi and Sango and members of the council. Inuyasha had taken a seat in the hall way, while Miroku went in search of a coffee machine.

The lift pinged, and the heavy doors slid open to reveal a battered and exhausted Sesshoumaru. He ran his hand through his hair and offered a small sigh before he stepped out of the lift, heading for his brother's seated form.

Inuyasha looked up from his seat at the sense of his brother's Youki.

" Father?" Inuyasha whispered, emotion lacing his voice and the turmoil swimming in his copper eyes. His ears, alert and forward.

Sesshoumaru looked down on his brother.

" He has departed this world..."

Inuyasha took in the information his brother offered him, his eyes clouding over as he looked down, his white ears now pinned to the back of his head.

He suddenly looked up, hope shining through as he asked. " Tensaiga?"

His brother shook his head, " He is to remain as such..."

" Oh." Inuyasha answered, hope dying as quickly as it arose. Just then there was a flurry of activity in the hall, nurses and two doctors bee lined it to one of the rooms.

Inuyasha stood at all the activity.

Miroku, cups of coffee in hand, rounded the corner as he saw three nurses zoom past him.

" What's happening?" He questioned as he handed the other cup of coffee to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha, staring down the hall, answered the monk.

" I don't know, but that's Kagome's room..." Fuelled by the foreboding tone in Inuyasha's voice the three ran to the doorway of her room.

" What's happening in there?" Miroku questioned one of the Youkai nurses, holding some kind of tubing device just before she entered the room.

" She awoke from her coma and is going into cardiac arrest..." the nurse stated before she made her way inside.

" Oh shit... Kagome..." commented Inuyasha, the Styrofoam cup of coffee in his hand now crushed from his worry and its contents spilling all over his hand and onto the floor.

" Do you think she will die?" Questioned Miroku from his place between the two brothers.

" No on my watch..." The hanyou stated, making a move to go inside the room.

" Move..." Came the command from his brother, as he pushed the hanyou into the wall and entered the room himself.

Both Miroku and Inuyasha, too stunned to do anything else, watched from the room window in the hall as Sesshoumaru marched into the room, his face a mask of determination.

Weather he was spurred by guilt at the knowledge of the girls deceased father, or his previous encounter with the female, he could not explain his sudden need to be in the room with Kagome, and his burning need to not let her die.

He marched into the room and was stopped by one of the human nurses.

" Excuse me, sir, you are not allowed to be here... Get him out..."

" You're in my way, Ningen..." Sesshoumaru stated, cold lacing his voice as he shoved the nurse aside. He made his way over to the side of the bed. His aura flaring as a result of his ire, it filled the room and all the doctors and nurses seized their movements as they waited to see what he was going to do.

Sesshoumaru's aura filled the room, his power crackling around him in a storm of energy. An invisible wind picked his hair up and made it dance around his form as he approached the still Youkai in the bed. His eyes bled red as he reached a hand out and touched the girl on her forehead. A bright flash of light flowed from the Inu into the girl, her form shook with the power of the blast. Her own eyes flew open, blood red and her mouth widened in a silent scream.

The deafening silence that filled the room before was broken as the heart monitor began to beep regularly again, displaying Kagome's heartbeat.

All the nurses watched in silent awe as Sesshoumaru, aura now intact, made his way out the room, only to pause at the door and face his brother.

"What happened between you two in the rubble?" Questioned Inuyasha, before a small groan came from inside the room, drawing all their attention back to the girl in the bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The little Kappa was ferrying the Sword of Heaven back to the mansion as was instructed by his Master. The Tensaiga lay forgotten on the back seat of the Mercedes as the Kappa drove it home.

Jaken, too wrapped up in his own grief failed to notice the gentle blue light that shone from the blade as it vibrated gently against the plush leather of the seat for just a moment, before it went dead again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome groaned as her vision swam one again, she blinked her crystal blue eyes, red seeping from them. She lifted her hand to cradle her now aching head.

" Kagome?" Came the very familiar voice of someone next to her, Kagome looked to where the voice was coming from. She blinked, and as her vision cleared, she saw the twin cerulean orbs, drowning in sorrow and worry.

Her brows drew together as she internalised her situation. She could feel her beast on the edge of her subconscious, eager to communicate with her, but she ignored it, the eyes before her were more important. The same pair of eyes swam in her memory of hours before, as she tried to remember what had happened.

She remembered being in the dining hall in the Grand Plaza, her meeting with Kagura, and then her need to do something, she remembered pain, and a white light, then, the two golden pools of warmth, coaxing her, guiding her and the pain stopped. But they weren't the same pairs of eyes that were staring at her now... where they? Her beast ghosted along her subconscious at the question.

" Inuyasha?" She questioned in a broken voice. Relief flooded the wary eyes before her, and before she knew it, her upper half was swept into his arms, cradling her head and whispering promises of her safety. His scent surrounded her as she breathed him in, taking refuge in his form. She closed her eyes, ignoring the niggling feeling of her beast at the back of her mind. She clamped down on the annoyance it was casing her and fell into the relief that was welcomed by her friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

In another room down the hall in the hospital, twin heart monitors beeped almost in rhythm with one another. Hana Higurashi was lying in the hospital bed, a sonogram cord wrapped around her stomach to monitor the baby. The happy rhythm that drummed out of both mother and child was a peaceful sound to Izayoi's ears. She had found refuge in the small room, sitting in one of the chairs beside the bed that Hana occupied, her hand encased in a vice like grip of her friend. Izayoi's tears had made rivulets down her cheeks as she mourned her loss. No one had come to tell her of the state of her mate, but judging by the bond that they shared, he was always a conscious presence within her mind. That conscious presence was no more. It left her feeling hollow and empty, a shell of what she once was. Her heart squeezed as the pain in her chest had blossomed at her first recognition of what it had meant when she felt his presence vacate her. Now as the feeling spread and encompassed her form, she had automatically sought out Hana in salvation from the reality of the situation.

Now she sat eager for her friend to wake, as to share the burden of guilt and sorrow with a spirit she knew would understand. Her throat had closed with her pain and grief, not allowing her the cries of anguish she wish to expel from her shattered body. So she sat there, tears streaming down her face and her lower lip slightly quivering, waiting. For what she was not sure, but something had to happen.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sango was having a hard time arguing with the doctor about her bed ridden state. He seemed convinced that her broken arm was enough to stop her from going to find her best friend, the only family she had besides her brother... and the monk . So now, as the painkillers had yet to kick in and the adrenaline still rushing through her, Sango closed her eyes from her perch on the bed, and tried to count to ten to let ease her boiling anger at the buffoon in front of her.

" Miss Tayjia, please, you cannot get out of the bed just yet, your cast has only just set and we still need to keep you here for more observation and-"

Sango's eyes flew open at the mention of her name again, the vein in the side of her temple almost ready to pop.

" No, listen here, you stupid Quack! My best friend is dying somewhere in this mental asylum you call a hospital, and while I do have a broken arm, IM NOT DYING! So, if you do not take me to her... then by Kami, you better get out of the bloody way Pops..." Her breath escaped her as she interrupted the Doctors attempt at reasoning with her.

The Doctors lips formed a thin line as he listened to her threats, dealing with these kind of patients all the time, he tried one last time to reason with her, pulling out his trump card.

" Now, Miss Tayjia, I understand your concern over your friend's well being and I shall notify you myself when we have word on Miss Higurashi's state, but you are in no condition to go to her side..."

" Don't test me, Pop's. ..." Sango warned, her voice as cold as ice.

" Miss Tayjia, if you continue this behaviour, I will be forced to sedate you for your own safety..." The Doctor threatened, taking out the needle from within the medical draws on the side of the room.

That sent her over the edge, her nerves until now had been on razors edge, having the whole nights events finally catching up to her, and the more she kept quizzing everyone on the well being of everybody, the more they told her to mind her own business. And now this stupid Quack thinks he is going to put her to sleep for being a concerned friend he had another thing coming... As the Doctor turned around, Sango gave the man one clean upper cut using her good hand. She planted him right under the chin, sending both the Doctor and the needle flying. As the he stumbled backwards, surprised at the show of power behind the blow, he hit his head on the draws and passed out from the impact. Sango cradled her hand in her broken arm.

"Messy, but effective... Sorry Pop's..." With that she ushered her IV drip out the door and headed down the hall to find out what was going on, the needle left forgotten.

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hana's eyes fluttered open. She blinked a few times to clear her vision.

"Hana?" Came the choked sob from Izayoi.

Hanna Looked over at the broken women and immediately a sense of dread filled the pregnant women. Her hand automatically went to her abdomen, where she felt the swell of her baby. A small moment of relief filled her before the past events of the night came flashing back into her mind.

" Oh Izayoi..." She cried, tears forming in her own eyes. That broke the damn, a choked sob came from Izayoi's throat and she moved onto the bed. Both women cradled each other, both wailing at their losses, clinging to each other for hope and comfort.

~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kagome, your alright?" Came Sango's voice from the door of the hospital room. Three sets of eyes turned towards her as she moved into the small space, IV drip following behind her.

" My butterfly? What are you doing out of bed? You know you should be-" Miroku immediately got up from his seat next to the bed and made his way over to the injured girl.

" Can it mother hen... I'm fine..." Came the reply from Sango. Her words soft and a small smile playing on her lips as Miroku embraced her, mindful of her broken arm.

Kagome's eyes lit up at the presence of one of her best friends. After she had woken up, Inuyasha tried to let her go to go and call the nurse to check on her, but Kagome had gripped him like her last link to this world, refusing to let him leave. Thus the Hanyou had made himself comfortable on the bed behind her and made her lie back on his chest, eager for her comfort as much as she was for his.

Sango made her way over to the bed, ushered by Miroku, she sat down in his chair and they both turned to Kagome.

" I'm fine Sango, how are you?" Kagome asked, gesturing to her arm.

" Heh, a minor inconvenience. Should leave an awesome scar..." Sango answered, a smile gracing her face. Kagome smiled back in return. Miroku beaming at the strength of his girl.

" How's your Mom?" she asked . Kagome looked to Inuyasha.

" Hana is fine, my Mom is in there with her now..." Came his reply.

" And Kei and Mr Tashio?"

Inuyasha shook his head; a grave silence filled the room after that. Inuyasha gave Kagome an extra squeeze as a small tear leaked out and made its way down her face. Sango rested on Miroku. They sat there for a while, each lost in their own grief and sorrow at the losses, but equally as relived that all of them were still alive.

~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a couple of days later when they were discharged from the hospital. Kagome had seen her mother and spend a good hour crying with her over the loss of her father. Inuyasha had seen to his mother, eager to ease her pain in any way possible. Izayoi had become a walking version of herself, zombie like and quiet. Every now and then she would be caught whispering words to herself, talking to her now deceased love. Hana had decided that it would be best if they both recovered together, thus Kagome and her mother would move into the Tashio estate. Nobody had said a word in disagreement. Thus, they now found Hana and Izayoi in the back of the SUV that was taking them back to the estate. Kagome had said good bye to Sango and Miroku with promises to see them again very soon.

Inuyasha now pushed Kagome in wheel chair to the waiting black SUV, Kagome had put up quite a fight over the wheel chair, but the stubborn Hanyou had insisted that she use the darn contraption.

" Inu, I really can walk... these things are for old people..." Kagome stated as he wheeled the contraption into the room.

"Nonsense, you are still weak from your ordeal and you need to take it easy..."

" But seriously I can walk just fine, it's just to the car..."

" No, you can't, your where hurt and you almost died and... Dammit woman, just get your ass into the chair!"

Taken aback by his outburst, Kagome then walked over to him and wrapped her arms around the hanyou. He immediately returned the affection, eager to protect her.

Kagome then got into the wheel chair and allowed him to wheel her out. His hand came to rest of her shoulder where he gave her a small squeeze. And without even saying anything, Kagome knew that this was his way of saying thank you. She knew that he had lost his father, just as she had lost hers, and they both needed the guarantee of protection and reassurance that nothing else was going to happen. Exiting the hospital, Kagome then voiced a thought that had been nagging at her since her mother had informed her of the decision to live at the Tashio estate until Izayoi was better.

" Inuyasha?" She questioned...

" Hn?" He replied.

"How are we going to tell Sesshoumaru?"

" Keh" was the hanyou's answer.

~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End

Benzaiten~ Goddess of Love in Japanese Mythology

Ningen~ Human


	10. Chapter 9: Heartfelt Goodbyes

'**Our boy is a small universe.' ~Daoren**

Standard disclaimer applies

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits**

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 9

Heartfelt Goodbyes

**Modern day, Tokyo**

"I am standing outside the Hall of Council in Kyoto where the current council meeting has been called to deal with the necessities of succession for the Youkai council. It has been several weeks since the incident at the Grand Plaza, everything had been turned upside down, with the death of three of the Youkai council Lord, there had been an immediate meeting of congress called to appoint the next leaders. Lord Kouga Ookami of the Southern wolf tribe had been appointed the Southern leader. The plans for his mating to the Southern Lord's daughter, Ayame have been pushed forward so that the claiming of the title would be legitimate within the eyes of the council.

Sesshoumaru Tashio had taken the title of Western Lord, following in his father's lead as the eldest and heir to the Tashio Enterprises. Like Sesshoumaru, Naraku Onigumo had been offered the title of Northern Lord as the succession was dictated through the bloodline for the male in the families to take on the title. Despite all the controversy and the ongoing investigation of the incident, there is much celebrated relief within Japan today as the new leaders have been announced.

Several suspects have been identified as being responsible for the explosions at the Grand Plaza, some are blaming organised freedom fighters, a group of humans that are eager to see the downfall of the Youkai and Human peace treaty signed over 1000 years ago.

Later on today, we will bring you live coverage from the joint state funerals that shall be held at Tokyo Shinto Shrine for the deceased Lords as well as other members of parliament that were caught in the explosions. The Prime Minister extends his condolences in a statement-"

Inuyasha muted the TV as he turned to his mother. Izayoi was seated in the lounge are of the estate. Dressed in black, they were all preparing for the funeral that was to be held that afternoon.

" Mom, are you sure you want to go this afternoon? You know it's not the real funeral, there is no way they would be able to fit pops' true form in that small box..."

" Inuyasha, do not speak so ill of you father!" came the automatic reprimand as Izayoi stood and embraced her son.

"Sesshoumaru should be arriving back from the council meeting soon. It would not be right if we do not support him the way we supported your father. Plus, Hana has done so much for all of us, it is only right that we attend, if not for your father, but to support her..."

Pulling away from his mother, Inuyasha's ears pinned to the back of his head as he thought about the day ahead for his best friend.

'_Kagome...'_

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~

Since they had been at the Tashio estate, the recovery from the shock of the deceased has been great, Inuyasha was inseparable from Kagome, and she took comfort in his fussing over her. On the first night they arrived, when all the distraction of making sure Hana and her baby were safe and tucked in and Izayoi was put to bed, Inuyasha had said good night to Kagome, only to return a couple of minutes later when he had heard Kagome start to cry. He had held her that night, leaking small tears of his own at the loss of one of his parents. Since that night, they had fallen asleep in each other's arms, eager to share the comfort of having the other near.

Kagome found herself staring into space across one of the many gardens situated in the Tashio estate, her mind reeling with all the past events of the last few weeks. Lately, Kagome would find solace in amongst the nature and beauty of the summer garden in the eastern wing of the Tashio estate. Its' flower beds where awash in colour, from the daisies to the red roses and somewhere in between the purple of agapanthus poked through the greenery. Situated right in the heart of all the flowers was a shallow fountain that trickled water into a small pond. The fountain was of a small mermaid, her tale tucked gently under her as she washed her hair forward into a seashell twice her size. Kagome had found the marble artwork capturing, not because of the beauty of the carved girl, but rather of the irony, that a Inu-household would find the myths and legends of the mer-people beautiful.

When Kagome would wake, often in the early hours of the morning, right before dawn kissed the inky sky of night, she would often wiggle out of Inuyasha's hold and wonder the halls, she often would end up at this fountain. This is where Kagome's beast and her conscious seemed to be at peace within the tranquillity and sheltered nature of the garden that urged the flowers to grow and kissed them with gentle sunlight.

Kagome was perched on the edge of the pond, dressed in the signature black that marked the day, she had wondered into the garden again to seek a small amount of refuge for her shattered heart before they would all head off to the funeral. She had her manuscript in her hands and as she ran her hand over the leather cover again, a lone tear slipped out from under her black lashes.

'_Pappa, I miss you already...'_ she bit her lip in a meagre effort to hold back the tears.

"Focus Kagome... you need to write the speech..." Kagome wiped the lone tear hastily from her damp cheek and took a deep breath; she then opened the clasp to her manuscript and found a blank page. A small smile graced her lips at the thought of writing the speech in her manuscript, a parting gift to her father, seeing as it was his last gift to her.

She picked up the pen and began to write, the tranquil atmosphere of the gardens and the gentle sound of tinkling water from the fountain lulling the Youkai into herself as she began.

'_**Today we have not come here to mourn the passing of a life, but rather to celebrate the existence of one that is no longer among us...My father, Kei Higurashi, like that of Inu No Tashio, touched many lives. He was a mentor, a teacher; at times, a disciplinarian and an avid fan, no matter what catastrophe I created, he was always proud. My father was many things, but most importantly he was just that, a father. I cannot express the depth of my sorrow, of my pain that I feel to his early passage through this life, but I delight in the legacy he has left behind, in myself, in my Mother and in my soon to be brother, he will live on through us in love and memory...'**_

The words flowed in motion across the page, drawing inspiration from an unknown source.

'_I really am going to miss you Daddy... Uncle Yasashii...'_

As the words seeped into the manuscript, another broken heart whispered back to her through the pages of the book, and the words began to glow a deep blue.

Kagome groaned as she was swept away in the mist again.

'_This seems to becoming a regular thing, always at the most random times..._' her beast grunted its affirmation.

When the mists cleared, she was transparent, see through.

'_ohhhhkay and now I'm a ghost... Wonderful...'_

She squinted into the sun as it basked the valley in light, she then looked down, and found two figures under a dying sakura tree. She instantly recognised the one as Megumi from her previous dwellings in the manuscript and the other seemed vaguely familiar, as if from a dream, one that she could not quite remember.

She floated down into the valley and got closer to the couple. They embraced and a transparent Kagome stopped, not eager to interrupt the intimate moment.

The couple clung to one another in a tight embrace that spoke of sorrow and parting.

"Why do you have to go Shiro, can they not send an envoy?" came Megumi's voice as they parted. Kagome gapped at the swell of her stomach, draped in her Kimono, barley hiding her pregnancy.

" Yes, my love, I have to go..."

The male was Inu Youkai, with long flowing silver hair, pulled together in a top knot above his head, the blue crescent moon stood out against his light features, his golden eyes unmistakable as belonging to the Tashio clan. The twin blue stripes on each temple enhanced the fierceness that shone in his golden orbs and the passion he carried for the tiny halfling in his arms.

"You will be well with our daughter, look after her, Koi, our treasure, Takara..."

Megumi's blue eyes swelled with unshed tears as Shiro's clawed hand came to rest on her bulging stomach. Megumi covered his huge hand with her own. The two then shared a passionate kiss, Shiro enveloped Megumi in his arms, clinging to her for what he was sure, was the last time.

The lent on each other for a moment, and, in a mingling of united breath, the whispered their goodbyes.

" I will wait for you..." he said. " I will find you..." she answered, and then with silent tears, he walked away...

Megumi then faced the transparent Kagome, and with eerie blue eyes addressed her.

" This was the last time the Tashio clan and ours was united, through my daughter Takara... it is time to unite them again Kagome, this is your path... unit the houses, bind us in strength before it is too late..."

Kagome choked back a sob as the mist enveloped her again. Her world once again became a sea of questions and answers. One thing that stood out was the sorrow she could see etched into Megumi's face at the parting of her love.

'_Is that how I feel now? Broken and alone? But Megumi was not alone, she was going to have a baby... Takara. But Megumi is my ancestor, and if her child is Takara, could it be THE Takara no Higurashi that married the Shinto monk and gave us the Higurashi name? Why was that man so familiar? Shiro she had called him... What did it all mean? How do I unite the houses? '_

It was in this gentle moment of quiet contemplation that Kagome's beast let loose a subconscious growl letting her know that she was not alone. When Kagome returned to reality, she felt the suppressive force of the aura that was headed in her direction. She swivelled on her seat, not even aware that the subconscious growl from her beast actually escaped her now slightly parted lips.

The footsteps ceased their movement towards her at the sounds of the growl, guttural, instinct.

" What business do you have to be in these gardens, wench?" The voice spoke blades of ice at the Youkai sitting by the pond, _her_ pond.

She blinked cautious blue eyes at his form. A moment passed between them. His ire rose with each ticking second.

'_Who does she think she is, coming __**here**__, violating this sacred place... __**her**__ resting place..._'

His anger grew with his aura at her lack of response. His temper a short fuse to begin with as she has been occupying his thoughts again all too often, and now, arriving home only to find the object of every passing contemplation sitting in the resting place of his beloved sister, it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

" I was just , just, gathering my thoughts for today." came her clipped response. Her own ire rising at the tone he had used. They had been having these short run ins quite often with the Higurashi's staying at the Tashio estate, each one a little more violent and angry.

" Who gave you permission to enter MY gardens? I did not decree any to step foot into MY sanctuary. You-"

Her aura grew in size, challenging the new Taiyoukai at his own game of power, as she spoke over him, cutting his rant off mid sentence.

" I do NOT need PERMISSION to be here, you big pooch, I was just minding my own business and you-"

He spoke over her then, overtaking her in an instinctual display of dominance. His tone, molten lava filled with rage at her audacity.

" You desecrate the Lady Rin's resting place with your presence, you abomination."

His eyes flickered to red as his aura grew, threatening to drown Kagome in his anger and power. He opened his mouth in a verbal explosion of anger, but the wind was taken out of his sails just as the last word left his mouth. His golden pools of raging heat widened at his own harsh words. He deflated even more at her response.

" Forgive me Sesshoumaru-sama", she began, using his formal title now, " I... I was drawn here by the beauty and tranquillity that flows in this garden... I did not mean to intrude..." her head down in a submissive gesture, hiding her watery eyes that betrayed her emotions as she tried to reign in her hurt over her already flustered emotions.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, too shocked at his own anger; he stared at her, a similar emotion of his own swimming in his eyes.

Kagome stared up at him, her lip firm, and her eyes an endless sea of pain. He stared back, something passing between the two again. Her aura came to wrap around herself, a protective gesture from her subconscious beast, his lay idle around his form, all anger and maliciousness gone. She rose from her sitting position, her manuscript hugged safely to her breasts as she stared into his now cloudy yellow eyes a moment longer before her lower lip began to tremble and she ran past the offended Taiyoukai.

Just as she breezed past him, the Inu 's arm shot out, grabbing Kagome by the upper arm, halting her in her retreat. Surprise laced her sent as Sesshoumaru inhaled.

'_Spice... Cinnamon... and vanilla, her hair products laced in with her perfume... and underpinning that... a gentle allure that was entirely Kagome_.' His clever mind subconsciously broke down the layers of her smell and filed it away.

Kagome turned towards the Taiyoukai, her blue eyes awash with all her emotions fighting for dominance in her head.

" I'm sorry." Came the small voice of the Taiyoukai. He turned to Kagome then, giving her arm a gentle squeeze as if he physically wanted to pass on what he could not put into words.

A gentle understanding settled within Kagome's mind as she studied the Taiyoukai. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, his tie loose. His hair looked like it had not been maintained in a short while, but what she mostly noticed from this close to the man was the subtle bags that had taken up residence under his eyes. He was obviously frazzled, and had the mood of been any different; Kagome would have found the sight sexy. Who wouldn't, it was THE Sesshoumaru Tashio that stood before her.

"This was her garden..." Sesshoumaru somewhat hesitantly said, removing his hand from Kagome, and gesturing towards the fountain.

" She, Rin, was my sister... she died a few moments after we were born, the poison in our systems killed our mother shortly after the birth... the garden was made and erected in her honour, she rests just beneath the fountain..." Sesshoumaru walked over to the small stone nestled in the paving of the fountain on the other side where Kagome sat, with the symbols etched in ancient Kanji.

Kagome followed the Taiyoukai, shocked by what he had just divulged to her. Her eyes followed the Taiyoukai's as he knelt down and placed one claw had in a practised gesture of affection on the stone, tracing the ancient Kanji.

" Rin" Kagome read as she too bent down and placed her hand over the Taiyoukai's.

In that gentle moment, the world Kagome knew to be true tilted. She eyed Sesshoumaru from the corner of her eye as she processed the information he had just shared with her, a secret that would of eaten her alive. His twin sister and him, responsible for the death of his biological mother, topping it off, the death of his twin, his other half. It would have been a heavy burden to bear all this time through life. He hid it well under that mask of power, as any Youkai would, emotion being a weakness they would very rarely show. It was a human trait, a human thing, emotion, weakness, and it had no part in the reality of Youkai. She was suppose to become one of these beings that did not show her emotions, that did not display weakness, but right now, in her reality, she might be clothed in a Youkai form, but her heart was still very much human.

In that moment of secrecy, shared between the Inu Taiyoukai and the Youkai enigma that was Kagome, she gasped at the vulnerability and emotion of Sesshoumaru. Never in her short life had she ever seen the stoic lord look more... human. She smiled at that thought and from the bottom of her soul; she thanked him, for now she felt like she was not alone.

The Taiyoukai felt her hand cover his larger one, as she read the name out loud. His emotions rocked an unyielding storm against his tight control, control that he never let slip, until he had seen her sultry eyes, and the pain and alienation she had felt at his words. His beast had broken the bonds of his conscious mind and in unison had bent out to stop her from leaving. Now, as he uttered his broken secret to another's ears, and her ease of acceptance and gentle grace, he felt the burden of his own guilt lift ever so slightly. As their hands touched a tiny shock of power, electricity, they did not know, but it shot, from her hand into his, warming the flesh as it connected.

"Thank you..." She whispered, small, gentle, powerful. He stared into those crystal eyes of hers again, a subtle understanding taking form between the two. A lone tear leaked out her eyes again; the Taiyoukai raised his other hand and brushed the small droplet away with such gentle care that it felt as if a ghost had caressed her cheek.

"Kagome?" came the call from her brash Hanyou from inside. It was enough to break the magic and surreal nature of their shared moment and send both Youkai spiralling back to their characteristic roles. Sesshoumaru rose, excusing himself from her company. Kagome remained crouched over the small tombstone, still pulling her thoughts together.

"Kagome!" the call came louder this time. Inuyasha found Kagome in the Eastern garden, in Rin's garden as he followed her sent.

" Kagome, whattcha doing here in Ice Pricks' garden?" he questioned as he made his way over to her.

" I was just writing my speech..." She answered him, her tone shaky.

He pulled her into a tight hug at the broken sound of her voice. Kagome took the hug with gratitude, wrapping her arms around the younger Inu, burring her nose in his neck, taking in his scent and letting her emotions and the turbulence of what had just transpired with her manuscript and Sesshoumaru melt away as the safety and reassurance he brought seeped into her form.

" Come let's get you inside and ready..." the half Inu said ushering her inside. All Kagome could do was nod, Megumi's plea echoing in her head.

'_... Unit the houses, bind us in strength before it is too late...'_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

Tokyo was blanketed in sorrow. It seemed as if the entire city had stopped what they were doing to pay homage to the passing of the figure heads of the society. The processions rivalled that of the Royal family, with the coffins being walked down the main street in Tokyo towards the Shinto shrine where the funerals would take place, followed by a long march of Shinto Mikos and Monks, all performing the salt cleansing rituals as they ferry the dead to the afterlife. Tokens of praise and appreciation where thrown at the coffins as they walked passed tributes to Amaterasu and Izanami-no-Mikoto.

The procession itself was short, time seem to pass slowly as the coffins where followed by the grieving families and the boy guards that shadowed them.

After the ceremonies and rituals where complete, the immediate families where all invited back to the Tashio mansion to hold a small reception and proceed with the Youkai burial customs. Hosted in the garden, the atmosphere was palpable. You could taste the sadness in the air that left a bitter tang on your tongue.

Sesshoumaru was his usual reserved self, his mask of stoic perfection in place, as he took his place amongst the Lords of the Youkai Council in the front, coming to stand in-between Naraku and Kouga. The face of the Council, a snow wolf Youkai named Konayuki, head of the HR and public relations in terms of the councils movements, took his place at the podium, beginning the ceremony in typical Youkai custom, by reciting the pledge.

"United we stand, brought together by creation, bound in the blood of our fore fathers, brothers, sisters, we uphold our past, through the houses of our lineage to bind together and hold strong our Youkai bonds, in power, conquest, truth and honour."

There was a murmur of sound as the Youkai present, too recited the oath. Kagome instinctually echoing the words as well. It was a declaration of their heritage, the past, their Youkai blood that sang with power and history. It was now hers to claim as well.

Kagome had been chosen as their latest member of Youkai society, it was a declaration that she too now belonged and had been accepted as a Youkai to her brethren, even though her transformation was still taking place, and they could not quite pin down her exact heritage yet. She had been chosen to say a few words on behalf of the grieving families in memoriam of their lives. Kagome's eyes found Inuyasha in the crowd; he gave her a reassuring wink from his position near his family. Kagome drew in a shaken breath and offered a small smile to Inuyasha in thanks. Over the last few weeks, he really had become her anchor, her rock, solidifying her to this new reality. With renewed courage, she opened her manuscript and did her speech.

As Kagome spoke, her voice was heavy with emotion, she scanned the audience, picking faces out amongst the crowd. She turned to address the Youkai Council and thank them for the honour of performing the speech. As she turned to address them, her eyes automatically sought out Sesshoumaru's golden orbs. All the power and prestige reflected in his eyes as he turned to face her. Her mind reeled back to the intimate moment they had shared earlier today. She halted in her speech as she took in the full impact of his piercing gaze; a sheen of something flickered within the molten depths for just a second, recognition, acceptance, understanding... She wasn't too sure, it wrapped her in a transparent blanket of giddiness as her inner beast purred with acceptance. Then it was gone. Kagome bowed to the Lords of Council and to the audience, attempting to hide the dusky pink that settled on her cheeks at the intensity of the Inu Lord's gaze, she completed her speech and made her way back to her seat next to Inuyasha, who welcomed her back with a gentle hung. As she made her way back to her seat, dark eyes followed her retreating form, possession vivid in his black depths.

'_I will have you yet, Kagome... before your form settles_'

Hana had tears in her eyes at her daughters beautiful words, and as Kagome closed her manuscript, and ran a hand over the cover of the book, the book seemed to hum under her gentle fingertips, offering a small amount of comfort from Megumi.

Konayuki then turned his magnificent blue eyes on the people, and after a few short words, he proceeded with the passing, each fallen Youkai remembered in name, each with their chosen method of burial as to their houses. As each Youkai was mentioned so to was the successor in the newly appointed titles. Konayuki's eyes landed on the Onigumo heir. Naraku was amongst the chosen to proceed to Lords of Council.

"Naraku Onigumo, we share the passing of your father, and as birthright, written in the blood of your house, we present to you the title of Lord of the Northern Lands. Do you accept to carry on your father's legacy?"

Bowing, a steep show of respect to Konayuki, Naraku took his position as Northern Lord, taking his place once again in the Lords Council. The audience then turned back to Konayuki as he recited the death wish of Lord Onigumo.

" He has chosen, as his ancestors before him, to be burned in the poisonous Miasma of his own blood, thus it has already been done."

A small smile passed across the stoic face of Naraku at the words as he recalls the burning of his father's body.

**FLASHBACK**

Naraku stood over his fallen father's Youkai form, the eight legs of the giant spider where tucked into the body, the small hairs on the spindly appendages already grey from decomposition. The black Miasma filled the room, seeping out of every pour in the dead Youkai's form.

Naraku was the only person permitted to enter the death chamber as the toxic gasses would kill anything they came into contact with. He could hear his henchman, Hakudoshi outside the door.

With a disgusted sneer, Naraku flicked his wrist and released his own Miasma, drowning the body in the putrid gas. Within seconds the once giant spider was no more, leaving a stinging smell of noxious odour in its wake.

Naraku readjusted his suit jacket, and with parting words, exited the chamber.

"Good bye father, enjoy hell."

**END FLAHSBACK**

The small grin grew into a malicious smirk at the memory.

Konayuki turned to the Western Heir now.

"Sesshoumaru Tashio we share the passing of your father, and as birthright, written in the blood of your house, we present to you the title of Lord of the Western Lands. Do you accept to carry on your father's legacy?"

With another low bow, Sesshoumaru too accepted the Rite of Passage.

" As of your Rite, decreed by the Great Dog General, I present you with Tensaiga, the Sword of Heaven."

Sesshoumaru reached out and with another small bow, accepted his father's sword. He tied the sword to his hip, in declaration of his father's memory.

"The great Dog General has asked for his remains to be installed in the portal pearl. This he wished to be kept as legacy in his younger son, Inuyasha." A gasp was heard throughout the crowd, as a most unusual request for the burial was heard. Inuyasha turned to a shocked Kagome, offering her a small shrug; he squeezed her hand once before he got up from his position next to his best friend. Kagome followed him with her eyes as he approached the podium where he stood eyes downcast waiting for Konayuki to continue.

" Inuyasha, please step forward so we may place the portal pearl in you."

He did as he was told, and then there was a small flash of light, as Konayuki's hand rose with the pearl towards his right eye. Inuyasha was on the ground, the pain exploded behind his vision, he looked up and in his peripheral vision, he saw the worried faces of his mother and Kagome before everything went black.

~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~

End

Konayuki~ Powdered snow

Amaterasu~ Goddess of Sun and Universe

Izanami-no-Mikoto~ Goddess of Creation and Death


End file.
